


We Might Be Something More

by betterthensomethingsoutthere



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Angst, Dealing With Trauma, Derek's life sucks, Feels, Fight Scenes, M/M, Minor Character Death, Slow Build, Violence, no alpha!scott, understanding Stiles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-11
Updated: 2013-12-15
Packaged: 2017-12-23 02:40:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 16
Words: 33,754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/921026
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/betterthensomethingsoutthere/pseuds/betterthensomethingsoutthere
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Werewolf adventures continue as Stiles comes across werewolves trespassing in their territory. Something is off though, they're not here to fight. They need help because the problem they brought is about to be theirs too. Meanwhile loss may be the thing that brings Derek and Stiles together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. How to Fake Being a Hipster to Get In Places.

**Author's Note:**

> No true alpha Scott because that plot line feels contrived to me and everyone is entitled to their opinion.  
> Derek's life sucks and I really don't think enough time is spent expressing just how much that would mess someone up and god knows we can't pass up an emotionally damaged guy and a plucky funny sidekick that can heal his wolfy heart.  
> Also featuring useful!Allison.

 

 

How to Fake Being a Hipster to Get In Places.

 

Stiles was bored, which was a dangerous thing unto itself. He knew he needed to step away from the bestiary for a minute, but it was so.....fascinating. All those stories he read where a secret world existed along side ours and we never knew. He wondered how many actually were speaking from experience. _Holy shit, werewolf authors._

Stiles grinned at his own thought, then pulled out his phone to text Scott.

_Hey, let's go 2 the movies._

Suddenly hyper he shucked off his basketball shorts and three day old t-shirt. _Yikes, need to wash this._ He tossed it in the hamper on the way to the shower, checking his phone to see if Scott had gotten back to him.

 

Clean and smelling pleasantly manly he walked out in a towel and grabbed up his silent not flashing with a new message phone.

_I swear to god if you are creeping outside Allison's house I will come over there with a fog horn and a flashlight._

Stiles smirked, Scott wouldn't ignore that knowing full well he would do it

_No! I'm at home. I was watching a Shawn o/t Dead._

Lies.

_Gr8, then ur not busy and we can do SOMETHING!!!_

_Not rly feeling it_

_U r a terrible friend_

_Tmrw, ok Stiles?_

 

His name getting tossed in there made him grimace. That was Scott's “I'm done” signal. Fine, whatever. He wanted to brood outside her house all night instead of going and doing something interesting then screw him and they could find the poison and the priest without him, because he wasn't dying in a duel for them. The Romeo and Juliet reference ran on in his head for a few minutes with some muttered, “and a plague on both their houses.”. He looked around his room, mood suddenly dampened.

“I need more friends.”

 

What Stiles did have was a Jeep, and having your own vehicle was something he wasn't ever going to be willing to give up. He was young and awesome and had a dad who was working overnight to lead a search party for two missing hikers. He should be at a party, or doing some cliché underage drinking around an inadvisable campfire in a forested area at risk for fires. Stiles groaned. _When did I get so responsible?_

In that moment, Stiles was going to do something stupid. He was going to go out, and do something purposefully stupid because he was constantly recovering from some injury, being threatened, saving people, and if he ended up in trouble it was going to be for some normal teenage reason.

_Because hey, tomorrow I might get my throat ripped out by a manticore._

He grinned again, amused that manticore is what popped into his head. He really needed time away from the bestiary.

 

There was a warehouse the guys on the team talked about a few blocks over from the gay bar. It had a few important attributes.

  1. It wasn't actually a bar/club

  2. It had live bands and college students from the next town over went there

  3. There was no checking of ID's

 




In fact, if the locker room was to be believed there was a guy with a few giant coolers and a jar while all the hipsters stood and swayed. He could pull off hipster douche. He dug through his closet and found a gray threadbare scarf he'd had forever, a fedora from a gangster Halloween costume, and some non prescription glasses he word to a nerd day thing at school.

Stiles caught a look at himself in the mirror. He looked older, and totally looked like he could be a douche writing his novel at a coffee bar. Tell people he was studying folklore/mythology. Something he knew about, reasonably obscure. This would totally work.

 

Stiles parked his jeep at the gay bar and walked the few blocks over so if something happened he would just claim to have been there. He stuffed his hands in his skinny jean pockets feeling almost uncomfortable with how tight they were. Worst purchase ever. Small groups were headed into the back building, a low thump emanating from it. He watched a gaggle of girls wearing printed tights and skirts head into the building. They were pretty cute in fact. He figured he should try and blend in so he pretended he was doing an impersonation of Derek as he ducked in the side door.

 

Inside was a decent crowd of people. Dimly lit pools with darkened corners. He made his way through the building, getting the layout, assessing the people. He stopped when he realized he was doing. He was looking for exits, potential threats. How was this his life? Annoyed with himself, Stiles pressed deeper into the loose crowd until he came to a couple guys in lawn chairs with a bunch of portable coolers behind them.

One guy looked up at him as he passed whatever he was smoking to the other guy, “Hey.”

“Hey.” Stiles shifted, “Can I get a drink?”

The guy nodded reaching back and grabbing a bottle from the cooler behind him. Stiles decided to go for, “Actually, let me go ahead and get another one for my girl.”

Two beers, $6. Stiles decided if he was going to stay here, it would at least be lightly buzzed.

 

About halfway into the third song about some girl who had been his art and his muse and lots of other angsty poetry lyrics Stiles realized he was getting a contact high. He finished off his third beer as he looked around and yeah, most people were smoking and he was going to go home to a Sheriff who was probably a freaking pot bloodhoud. Stiles had never tested this assumption, but Sheriff in a small town? There were really good odds. Being there alone, he at least looked less alone standing on the edge of the swaying forest of people.

And then there was a girl.

A girl that was walking towards him.

She was cute and looking at him, eye contact and everything.

Before he could decide whether to fight or flee she was in front of him.

“You like the band?”

_Hipsters_ , Stiles reminded himself.

“They're ok.”

The girl smirked at him, it made the stud on her nose catch the light. Wow, that was really pretty. He'd never really thought about nose piercings until right now, but he was on board apparently. Was that blue yarn in her hair?

“Yeah, Antartica Tantra was a lot better. They were here a couple weeks ago, but it was a smaller thing. So much meaningful when it's intimate like that.”

The way she said intimate then licked her lips made a tingle run down Stiles to his crotch. She took his hand which was so freaking soft and dragged him over to a couch that looked like it had been new in the 70s. The other half of the couch was filled with a goatee guy in a driving hat with a lap full of aggressively primitive tattooed redhead.

“Ha! You actually went and got him?” Goatee asked as Primitive Redhead giggled in his lap.

The girl who had dragged him over put a hand on his thigh, “Yeah. You said I wouldn't”

_Oh great, I was a bet_

“Are you here alone?” Primitive Redhead asked.

_Why lie?_ “Yeah.” be cool, you don't care “no reason to not go just because everyone's busy.”

He should probably think of a cover name or something. He should totally be something like Dante, or Longinus. He was feeling really good, between the drinks and the ambient smoke everything was soft around the edges and his thoughts were kind of like slippery fish.

By the time his brain caught up he realized the girl pressed along his side had asked his name and he had answered, “Stiles.”

_Shit, so much for that idea_

Apparently she went by Oolong, which he was pretty sure was a kind of tea. He was started to actually enjoy his weird night.

Then he saw them at the next group over. They were looking at him curiously when Stiles saw one of their eyes flash yellow. Three of them, a little older then him. While the group that had adopted him chatted and giggled he stole glances over and watched them. He knew they couldn't be drunk or high. The way they were moving, the way one whined at another after some disagreement. Most of what bothered him was how every once in a while one would sniff the air and look at him. They looked at him really hard.

_Shit_ , _not even one night or normal bad decisions._

Stiles tried not to sound choked as he laughed some random story trying not to get stuck on how cool the blue yarn in her hair was. He wanted to run his fingers through it just to see how it felt. Instead he shifted, “Hey, I need to call someone. I'm going to step out for a second.”

She just smiled up at him and moved enough for him to get up. This sucked, he hated werewolves, he really really hated them. Oolong was freaking adorable. He stood outside in the significantly colder late night air. There were a few other people outside, some on their phones, some on each other. He called Scott.

It rang for an eternity then jumped into voicemail. Stiles texted furiously.

_Damnit dude, call me!!_

He stood a moment and debated how much of an issue this should be. Well, given their history with outside werewolves....

Stiles sighed and resigned himself as he flipped through his contact. There was an answer on the third ring.

“What.”

“Hey Derek, funny story.”

“It better be more then a funny story for you to call me.”

“Oh, well in that case I'll just go hang out with the three werewolves at this concert I'm at down by the warehouses.”

“Where are you.”

Derek's questions were never really questions, more demands for answers.

“Like I said, the warehouses a couple blocks past the gay club the kanima was in.”

“I'll be there in 10.”

 

Stiles tried to look inconspicuous while he loitered outside. Mostly he pretended to be texting while he played final fantasy III on his phone.

“Stiles.”

“Oh my god!” Stiles fumbled his phone. “Warn a guy!”

“I did, I said your name.”

“You know what I mean.” Stiles glared at a smirking Derek. Wait, smirking?

“What?”

“What are you wearing?”

Oh right, hipster adventure.

“Don't judge.” Stiles crossed his arms, suddenly self conscious, “besides, there's more important things. Werewolves! Hello!”

Derek just kept grinning and pulled his fedora down over his eyes.

“Not cool dude!”

He followed Derek inside who was trying to subtly sniff the air.

“I smell them.” Stiles stayed close as Derek moved into the press of people. Stiles spotted them across the building heading out a door.

Stiles grabbed the sleeve of Derek's jacket, “Derek! They're going out the back!”

He whirled and growled heading to the door Stiles was pointing at. Stiles rushed to catch up as Derek flowed through the crowd like water.

_How the hell does he do that?_

 

Stiles lost sight of Derek, but rushed to the door bursting outside. He looked around, but there was no one out here.

_I guess he chased them_

Stiles really wasn't sure what he was supposed to do. Wait? Forget that, he wasn't Derek's Robin.

 

Stiles went around the building and headed towards his jeep. Suddenly a hand was on his shoulder. Stiles screamed, totally not like a little girl, “Derek! The hell!”

Derek ignored him, “They had too much of a head start. Stiles, be careful, they know your smell and they know you're in our...”

“Motley pack?” Stiles suggested.

Derek scowled, “Just be careful. We'll track them down tomorrow night.”

“You know there were three, right? Wouldn't it be better to draw them out?”

Derek scowled more.

“Don't look at me like that Angsty McBroodyface, there's four of you, but still three of them. That's a lot of room for stuff to go wrong.”

“I'll get Scott to come too, it'll be five against three.”

“Yeah, but who says they're even here for nefarious reasons?”

Derek crossed his arms, “If they weren't they would have contacted me. There's rules for packs crossing territory.”

Stiles threw up his hands, “Ok, you've been a werewolf your whole life. If I asked Scott would he know the etiquette for crossing territories?”

Derek glared, “No.”

“See, I have a point. They didn't do anything threatening.”

“That doesn't matter. Ignorance isn't a defense.”

“Seriously? This isn't a court case.”

“Stiles, you don't understand.” Derek grabbed Stiles' shirt yanking him forward, “This is my territory. I am the Alpha, and they are in MY territory.”

Stiles pulled back as much as he could, “Oh my....hey there big bad, let's lay off the violence towards Stiles.”

“You're an idiot.” Derek gently shoved him back, which translated to enough to knock Stiles into his jeep.

“Um, ouch!” Stiles shoved him back while Derek stood there like a statue, “Right, werewolf powers. Not really a fair fight.”

“Go home Stiles.”

“Tell me you're not going to kill them.”

“This isn't your business. Why do you care anyway?”

Stiles grimaced, “I don't really know, I'm just not sure they're a threat.”

Derek sighed, he looked tired, “I can't take that chance.”


	2. Stiles is Determined He is Right, and Peter Can Cook

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> E is for explicit eventually. I still wonder what Peter said to Derek to make him killing Laura seem reasonable.

Stiles tossed his fedora on the chair and dropped onto the bed. It wasn't even five minutes later when Scott was coming through his window.

 

 

 

Stiles is Determined He is Right, and Peter Can Cook

 

“Stiles.”

Stiles was off his bed and advancing on his 'best friend'. Scott's eyes got big, “Derek called.”

“Derek called?! You know who else called? Stiles!”

Scott at least had the decency to look sheepish, “I was busy.”

“You suck, we both know you were moping outside Allison's place.”

“Fine, whatever. Yeah, I answered Derek's call, but he hasn't been trying to get me to come to a movie all night.”

Stiles hit Scott in the arm, Scott hit him back. Things were good.

“So Derek wants to hunt them down but I just have this feeling that they're not here for trouble.”

Scott huffed, “Derek's always talking about using all your senses. So what should we do?”

“I want to find them before Derek. He's going all territorial alpha about this, but the way they acted.” Stiles ran a hand through his hair, “They're here for something else.”

“Then how do we find them?” Scott watched Stiles get worked up as the idea took hold in his head.

Stiles paced a moment, “The junior college. Everyone there was from the junior college.”

“Well, except for you.” Scott made a rolling motion for him to get on with it.

“Yes, except for me. We should go, it's worth a shot. I mean, they know my smell.”

“So what, we're going to go wander around the Fayette junior college?”

“Sounds like a fun Saturday, right?”

Scott rolled his eyes, “I'll be here at 9:00am for your half ass stupid plan, also your dad's home.”

 

His dad being home after the initial unveiling of the supernatural world had become a tense thing. Stiles was trying, he was trying really hard. Mostly because he couldn't get the moment out of his head when his dad came home and he'd been fired and it had been completely and utterly his fault. He never wanted to have that feeling again. After his mother.....no. Stiles shook his head.

He headed downstairs, “Hey dad.” he called from the bottom of the stairs.

“In the kitchen.”

His dad was making a sandwich, “What are you doing up?”

Stiles grinned, “Late night gaming with Scott.”

“Oh, good.”

_Shit, he was going to stop lying_

“No, wait.”

His dad tensed like he was afraid of what Stiles might say.

“I went out to a party.”

His dad seemed relieved.

“There were three werewolves there.”

_aaand we're tense again_

“They're aren't part of the pack, but they're in Derek's territory. The pack's going to look for them.”

His dad nodded slowly, “Do I need to expect trouble?”

Stiles shook his head, “No, no I don't think so. I don't think they're here to make trouble.”

_and now to the awkward part_

This is the point where his dad processed what he had just said into the new version of the town. He had been going through old cases. Sometimes he would come in with a file, sit Stiles down and ask him a million questions. One box at a time, unsolved cases made their way home as he poured over them from a different view. Most of them, there was no way he could charge anyone, but still. He wanted to know.

“Hey, since you're up. There's this case from 2003 I have some questions about.”

This was their bonding now. He was going to be better for his dad. He had so much to make up for.

 

 

Derek tossed his jacket as he entered the flat, “We have an issue.” Peter came out of the kitchen wiping his hands on a towel. “We have braised lamb for dinner, and can we please not have something try to kill us before we eat? I did a really amazing job on it.”

 

Derek was torn. He was sitting at a table. Having dinner with people he was related to. Sure Peter could be a machiavellian douche bag, but then it had been years since something like this had happened.

“Cora dear, would you pass the lemon garlic green beans?”

Cora chuckled, “I get the feeling you're proud of this meal.” Peter smirked and took the dish from her.

Derek looked at them and he felt a genuine smile creeping up. For this dinner he was going to put trespassing werewolves, and hunters, and fucked up relatives, and death out of his mind and enjoy the fact that he was having dinner with family. The word was fraught with so much baggage for him. No, he was going to enjoy this. Dinner with his little sister and crazy uncle.

“I didn't know you could cook like this.” Derek took another bite of the amazing lamb chop.

Peter laughed with just a hint of bitterness, “The nurses adored the food network. I watched the braised lamb episode at least 15 times. With caramelized onions. Might as well use all that knowledge for good.”

Cora snorted as she devoured another bite, “It's good at least one of us can cook, and cook amazing too.”

Derek growled, “There's something to be said for a fresh meal.”

Peter twirled a green bean on his fork, “Oh Derek, always so hulk smash. Sometimes you need to stop and appreciate the finer things. I raised you better then that.” He pointed a fork at Derek with a raised eyebrow.

“You can insult my manners all you like if you keep doing the cooking.”

Peter chuckled, “Fine, but I think I'll settle for you two doing the dishes.”

 

Peter sat sipping a glass of wine while Derek washed and Cora dried. Derek sighed hating to break the moment but they needed to know, “There's three wolves in our territory.”

Peter and Cora froze. After a moment Peter took another sip of wine, “That's exciting. I suppose we need to find them.”

“Stiles came across them at a warehouse party, I lost them in the woods heading out of town.”

Peter smirked, “Going to parties with Stiles? Can we expect a happy announcement soon?”

Derek growled and handed another plate to Cora, “He called me once he realized what they were.”

Peter finished off his glass, “I guess our day tomorrow is spoken for then.”

Derek glanced back at his uncle, “Why do you drink wine, it's not like it does anything for you.”

Peter stood looking truly appalled, “Tell me you're joking, you really are a neanderthal.”

“What?”

Peter pinched the bridge of his nose, “Oh Derek. The wine people drink to get drunk comes in boxes. I have a soft spot for German ice wines that comes in tiny bottles from tiny frozen grapes and cost more then your leather jacket.”

Cora grinned at Derek.

Derek smiled back, “You know Peter, sometimes you're a prick.”

 

Scott was late. Stiles was going with or without him. He was climbing into the jeep when Scott pulled in on his bike, “Hey! I'm here, sorry!”

“Come on dude. I have a feeling about this.”

Scott flopped into the passenger seat, “I was up all night trying to stay on top of this grade crap.”

Stiles quirked an eyebrow at him, “Look out everyone, here comes Scott climbing through the class rankings.”

“I'm serious man. I want to do it for my mom. Can you imagine, after last year if I get on the honor roll? Pull all A's. I mean, I was so wrapped up in everything that happened to me I let everything else go and now it's biting me in the ass.”

Stiles stared at the road, “When danger appears you have to make sure you have a life for Clark Kent to go back to.”

“Tell me you have a plan.”

“Uh...not really.”

“Stiles! Are you kidding me?!”

“Look, Scott, they'll recognize me. I just have this, I dunno, feeling.”

“This is a new thing for you. Are you going all 6th sense on me?”

“Just shut up.”

 

They were sitting in a cafe on campus drinking lattes that Stiles bought since this was his dumb idea.

“It's not all bad. We haven't spent time together in a while.”

“What? Of coarse we have, we had that CoD weekend.”

“Scott, you douche, that was a month ago.”

“Seriously?”

Stiles glared at him over foam, “See, this is a sign. You are completely neglecting me. I know you're hung up on a lot of stuff, but our bromance is going through a serious rough patch.”

“Stiles.”

“I mean, you can't just ignore me and then expect me to be all stoked when you decide you have time for me. And you definitely need to answer when I freaking call because the stuff we deal with kinda warrants it and...”

“Stiles!”

“What?”

“They're here.”

Stiles twisted in his chair as he saw them come into the shop. They stared directly at him.

“Ok, so yeah, they know I'm here.”

 

The trio approached. Stiles immediately dubbed the short girl in front with the brunette bob cut Velma, to her right was a guy with curly blond hair stuffed into a beanie, and to the left a tall mocha skinned girl with close cropped hair. Half hiding behind them was a slim guy with chestnut bed head chair

“Who are you?”

Stiles exchanged looks with Scott, “How about we start with why you were in our territory.”

She exchanged looks with her entourage, “We don't have a choice. We're being hunted.”

Scott leaned over the table, “By what?”

Their eyes flashed in agitation. But wait, something was wrong.

Stiles realized something, “Where's your alpha?”

Now they were really agitated and he didn't need Scott's heightened senses to tell him that, “What happened? Why are you here?”

Velma took the remaining seat at their table, “Our Alpha was killed.”

Scott looked at her in concern, “Hunters?”

Her eyes teared up, “No, it was another Alpha. He came in and....and...this isn't how it works! Why was he even there, why?”

Scott took her hand in his, “It's ok, take a minute calm down. Tell us what happened.”

The other girl leaned over draping against her back, the boy put a hand on her shoulder and kissed her head. “Right. So this Alpha came and then, it's like Nathan knew something was wrong. He could feel the wrongness with this other guy. I'll never forget, he looked at us, told us to run.”

Tears ran down her face, “We ran. We ran and kept running until we simply couldn't anymore. He...he caught up to us in the last town, all of us barely made it out but I know he's still coming. We were staying in the warehouse they had the party in, we were going to leave today but then you smelled like werewolves. This close though, you're human?”

Stiles nodded, “Yeah, I'm the token human. You should have talked to me. Scott, we need to call Derek, he needs to know about this.”

“That there's a crazy Alpha going around killing packs? Yeah, like there aren't enough people that want to kill us already.”

Stiles pulled out his phone.

_Btw, found the werewolves. Crazy alpha coming to town._

Stiles laughed, “Muahaha, he'll get back to me quick with that one.”

 

Derek's phone buzzed as he pulled on his sweater. Grabbing it he saw a text from Stiles flashing at him, he read it quickly.

 

_Btw, found the werewolves. Crazy alpha coming to town._

 

“WHAT!?”

 

He growled as he typed out, _Explain. Now._

A minute after he sent the text his phone started ringing, he glanced at the screen. It was Scott.

He growled into the mic as a greeting.

“Ok Derek, chill, it's ok. Stiles was right about them needing help. Their alpha was killed by a crazy rogue alpha that's been chasing them.”

Derek's blood went a little cold, “Chasing them how far?”

There was a pause before a voice he didn't recognize answered, “I think we've gone through two territories.”

“Shit. Do you know if he attacked the alphas in the territories he crossed?”

“We think so, he stopped following us for two days then caught up to us.”

“Do you have any idea what you've done!?”  
“What we've done!?” Velma's eyes flashed yellow as she growled.

“Yes. You've been dragging a deranged alpha through territories, leading him to other alphas and packs to kill and take power from.”

“We what?”, Velma's lip trembled.

“If you had warned them, if you had done anything other then keep running this wouldn't be such a mess. If Stiles hadn't spotted you he would have come here and tried to kill my entire pack.”

The last was said with a threatening growl that even Stiles heard through the phone and winced at.

There was a moment's silence then Derek spoke again and he was full on Alpha Hale, “Bring them to me, we need to prepare. You are done running.”

The phone went dead.

The three betas looked horrified, “We didn't know, we never thought....” the blond guy wrapped his arms over both the girls as they shared a tired hug.

Scott and Stiles hurt for them, but now this was a very real threat to all of them, “So super alpha? We've dealt with that. We've dealt with a freaking pack of them.”

Stiles chewed on his the edge of his paper latte cup, “I have a really bad feeling.”

 

 

Scott tried not to think about how his automatic inclination was to do as Derek asked. Stupid werewolf hierarchy. The three distraught betas followed them to the jeep and squished into the back seat. Touch seemed to calm them. Scott wondered if normal packs did that, touch. He knew their pack wasn't normal, it barely was a pack. Derek was so full of guilt and such a bag of issues he wondered if some of it leaked through their pack bond. Did normal packs hang out? Have movie night? Were they touchy feely? Maybe Peter would know, he might actually answer questions rather then glare at him. Maybe they would calm down a little, their agitation was making him fidget, “So where are you from?” “Wenatchee, up in Washington state. We didn't have a car, so we've just been running through the forests.”

Stiles glanced at them over his shoulder, “That's....that's like a 12 hour drive.”

“We had a lot of motivation.”

They chatted, they talked about their pack, and yes, the other packs they had met had been touchy feely too. Their pack had been ten wolves, but they had been the only ones with their alpha when the attack happened.

Scott was thinking hard, “Something is off about this.”

Stiles was chewing his lip, “Why is he still chasing you? There's six other pack members, they might have been out of state, but their smell was still there, it would have smelled like they were there. Are we sure he killed all of the packs?”


	3. The Best Laid Plans of Wolves and Men

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They have a plan to handle the crazed alpha, what could go wrong?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Character death warning.

The Best Laid Plans of Wolves and Men

 

They pulled up to Derek's apartment building and spilled out like a clown car. Five people is a lot for a jeep. They get up to the apartment and Derek's pulling the door open. The three betas make submissive postures as Derek's eyes flash red. He turns and stalks back into his flat, Peter and Cora are artfully sprawled on one couch, while Isaac, Lydia, and Allison were on the other. Derek sits on the arm next to his sister, “Explain.”

Scott glared at Derek, “How about we start with names.”

Velma nodded as they went and stood in the middle of the living area, “I'm Emily.”

_Damn_ , Stiles internally cursed,  _I'm so going to accidentally call her Velma._

The mocha girl had a deep sultry voice that made Stiles want to lick chocolate off someone, “I'm Adriana.”

Blond curls was fidgeting like mad, “Luke.”

Cool, names are good.

Scott moved so he was closer to Allison, his hand on the back of the couch less then an inch from touching her trying to look so casual. Stiles felt for his buddy.

Velma...no wait....Emily took up the story. Emily and Adriana had been sparring while their alpha, Nathan had cuddled with Luke on the porch. Well huh, alphas had mates. Some even cuddled. Interesting. Luke had been his mate.

Derek nodded like this all made sense, “That explains why he's chasing you.”

Stiles turned to him with uncovered surprise, “It does?”

Silence.

Stiles glared at Derek, “That was your opening to explain.”

Derek's eyes narrow, “Mates are.....a calculated risk.”

Luke spoke up, “Taking a mate is like all things. It is a risk with benefits. Part of an alphas power is shared with their mate and the union gives a boost to the pack. The mate usually takes on teaching new wolves, settling disputes, depends on how their relationship works. It also leaves the alpha vulnerable. If their mate dies, it's...it's very hard on an alpha. It's hard the other way around too.” Luke looks absolutely destroyed for a moment.

Derek comes to the rescue, “If the alpha dies their power can stay within the pack, keeping the group together and bound. Mates are very protected because a mate being killed, while it may not kill the alpha or the pack it will severely weaken them.”

Luke wrung his hands, then wiped them on their pants, “We talked about it a lot before we went through with it.” Emily and Adriana pressed against him, touching, comforting, “It was a good idea. You never know what's going to happen, you both did the right thing.”

“You did a dangerous thing.” Derek stood and paced behind the couch, “The alpha is out of his mind, and he senses the power he wanted is in you now.”

“Can you sense power?” Stiles asked.

It was a good question and everyone turned to Derek, “Yes.”

Lydia sat up, “So what do we do?”

Peter looked back at Derek, “This should be pretty easy, we already know where he's going to be heading. With Derek here to sweeten the pot I think we can set something up that will provide minimal death and dismemberment.”

The three betas looked frightened. Allison leaned over taking Adriana's hand, “Don't listen to him, he's always like this. We'll come up with something that protects everyone.”

 

The pack was on high alert, running the territory constantly. Based on what the betas had told them they had a day to plan. Peter and Stiles poured over maps of the area. They needed an area that was remote, that they could get a couple generators or find power at. Peter leaned over the map pointing out an isolated area. Stiles nodded as he explained the site's advantages.

“Yeah, and I have a generator and I bet Allison has one too. How much voltage do we need?”

Peter rolled his shoulders, “That would do it. We can add in some of military grade tasers and it should be plenty if not too much.”

“Do we know why this guy went ape shit? I mean, what can make an alpha do that? Is Derek going to do that? Is this something to put on my list of apocalyptic shit to keep an eye out for?”

Peter sighed, “No Stiles. I wouldn't call this a normal thing, but there is a chance we can save the poor bastard, so let's keep the voltage to a survivable level.”

 

That's how the next night found Derek with Luke under a metal lean to. Derek was fuming at feeling useless. Being bait did not sit well. All the alpha had to do was step on any part of the metal network on the ground and Derek had to manage to curb his enthusiasm enough to not run out and fight. The betas would funnel him along the right path. If the alpha was as out of it as they thought, it should be easy.

Nothing is ever easy.

 

Cora and Scott were leading a red eyed rabid alpha through the woods at a break neck speed. Crazy bastard was fast. Allison was up in the tree with flash arrows. As they approached she shot to the sides of the alpha trying to disorient him, keep him from catching up to Cora and Scott. They were coming up on the electrified net. Stiles and Lydia were watching the generators on the other side of the lean to. Derek looked back at them, “He's coming, check everything. We're not going to get another chance.” Derek watched as Scott and Cora appeared over the hill. Stiles could swear he heard Derek say, “Please be careful Cora.”

It was like a slow motion nightmare. They were fine, everything was fine. Cora went to cut across and join Scott to veer off and get him onto the net. She slowed down. What happened?

“CORA!”

It was too late. The alpha slashed while Cora leapt, had he sped up? His claws were too close, he was going to hit her, he was.

Stiles watched as his claws went through her. Watched as she was impaled on them, his other giant claw reaching down and ripping her in half. Bits of spine showing white and unreal as he tossed her into the woods. Stiles was going to see that in his dreams for the rest of his life.

Derek lost it.

“Derek! No!” Stiles yelled, this thing was on high voltage, it might kill him.

Derek roared in frustration, knowing what would happen, but still. “CORA!” He roared again at the alpha who turned, eyes finding his prey. Two steps and an unreal howl split the night before the alpha struggled against the twitching of his muscles trying to get to them even as he lost control of his body.

“Stiles! Shut it off!”

The moment he heard the hum go quiet he dashed after Scott who was already in the woods in the direction where Cora had been thrown.

Allison climbed down and stayed beside the downed alpha with her modded cattle prod, “Scott! We need help here!”

Scott appeared out of the treeline where Derek had disappeared, “Let's get him ready. We need to go. Stiles?”

He nodded, “I'll check on Derek and get him and Cora out.”

Lydia packed up one of the generators and tossed a taser to Scott. He shoved it in a back pocket and helped Allison secure the alpha then tossed him in the back of the pickup, “We'll meet you in the basement of the Hale house.”

Stiles ran after Derek. It wasn't long until he came across the keening alpha. He heard the engine of the pickup start up in the distance. Derek kneeled rocking the top half of her mangled body.

“Cora.” a shaking hand stroked her hair, his eyes too wide, tears falling unheeded.

Stiles felt like he was intruding on some horrible intimate moment.

“I can never protect anyone.” a broken laugh, “I tried, why does it never work?”

“Derek...” Scott took a step closer.

“Go away.” he clutched her closer. This would also be added to his nightmare rotation. Derek in the bloody leaves holding Cora like this was the end.

“I can't.”

His back heaved with a desperate sob, “You can't be dead. I had just gotten you back. I don't want to be alone again. Please.” He buried a half shifted face in her hair, “Please, please, please.”

“Derek, look, this is another epically tragic event in a series of awful events in soul crushing life, but you're not dead and we need to get out of here.”

Derek shook his head rocking.

“Derek, we have to go.” He grabbed Derek's shoulder, but the werewolf shrugged him off with enough force to make him stumble. Stiles braced himself and grabbed Derek's face forcing to look at him.

“Derek, this happened. We have to deal with it. We're all still in danger. Please Derek, we're going to take care of her.”

Derek looked so young and so lost, “She's my little sister.”

“I know.” shit, he was crying too, “Please Derek, we need you, our pack needs you.”

A blank stare, but something. Yes, he was on the right path.

“Derek, listen to me. The pack needs you, we need you.”

Derek nodded, stubble rubbing against his palms, “We have to take her.”

Stiles shook his head, “We have to leave her, right now it looks like another 'animal attack'. I'll drive down and you need to cover our tracks. Meet me at the entrance.”

He let go of Derek's face, searching for a moment, making sure he understood.

 

A few minutes later he was sitting in the jeep, waiting. He wasn't sure, but he was hoping Derek was going to show up. Half an hour later Derek got in the passenger's seat. Stiles threw it into gear and they were off. Someone would come across the body, probably tomorrow even. There would be a report, a Jane Doe in the system. Derek would pretend to see her picture in the paper and go claim her. Everyone thought she had died in the fire. There was paperwork and everything, that made it true.

 

When they reached the Hale house, Derek had stopped shaking some. Some being the operative word. They went into the basement to find the alpha laying on the floor unshifted. He was older then Derek, something close to Peter's age. A full on beard and shoulder length hair. He was tightly secured in alpha approved restraints. As they went down the stairs they heard the now human crazy alpha struggling.

“Do you think he understands us?” Lydia asked staring at him.

“Hell yes I understand you! What am I doing here?”, he tugged at the chains on his arms wincing at the low level voltage running through him, “What the fucking hell is going on?”

They all exchanged looks at a loss for what to do.

Lydia leaned over to him, “What's your name?”

“Tom.”

“Hi Tom, I'm going to explain what has been going on. You are going to wait until I am done to ask questions.”

She laid out the whole thing, up to him ripping Cora in half. He looked sick. When she told him about Cora, he did get sick.

“I don't remember any of this. Oh god! Is my pack safe?”

“Do you think he's safe?” Stiles asked.

“Let's test it.”, Allison went back upstairs and led Luke down.

“He smells familiar. Do I know you?” Tom looked at Luke searching for something, “I don't know you, but your smell.”

Derek watched him with arms crossed, “What does his smell make you want to do?”

“Nothing. Should it?”

“Unlock him, here.” Derek handed him a cell phone, “Check on your pack.”

Derek disappeared back upstairs while Tom fumbled at the phone quickly typing in a number.

 

Apparently about a week ago Tom had disappeared from his pack. They had tried to follow him, but he was moving too fast. Moving like he was possessed.

“Hmmm.” Stiles bit the end of his pencil as he wrote,  _possessed?_  on a notepad in his lap.

“Stiles, we need to go.”

He glanced up and spat out a bit of eraser, “What time is it?”

“11”

“Shit.” Stiles quickly shoved his stuff back into his bag, they were headed to the door when....”Hang on a second.”

Stiles took the stairs up to the charred top floor of the Hale ruins, he knocked on the door Derek had disappeared into, “Derek?”

Nothing.

“I'm going to assume you're in there.” He wanted to make a crack about being able to hear him brooding, but too much, “I just wanted to let you know we're leaving. Tom's pack is coming to get him. They'll be here tomorrow. Luke, Emily, and Adriana's will be here this weekend. They're on the way back from Michigan.”

He stood there, hoping to get some sign of life.

“Ok, goodnight Derek.”

 


	4. I Needed to Come See You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the face of loss, it reminds of what else we've already lost.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I killed Cora. Mostly because my money is on her dying this season. If I'm right, easier to stay cannon adjacent.

 

I Needed to Come See You

 

Stiles was giving Scott a ride to work after school when Isaac called. Tom had been picked up by three of his pack. He said Tom looked haunted. Was he starting to remember?

Scott hung up and looked over at Stiles, “We still don't have an answer for what caused all this. The three betas are sleeping on Derek's living room floor until they get picked up.”

Stiles chewed his lip, “I have a feeling that answer is going to end up important.”

 

Cora was dead. It made Stiles think about things. All that thinking had him walking into the cemetery clutching a bouquet of flowers on that cold late afternoon. He had been distracted at school, which led to a lacrosse ball to the head. The helmet took most of it, but he was still dazed on the field for a good five minutes. Scott looked concerned as he and Isaac dragged him off the field and laid him on a bench. Once practice was over and he could walk a straight line Stiles went to the florist on main street then drove out to the cemetery. Every step he took came with a flash of his mother's funeral. Her being lowered in. His father's granite face. Her in the hospital, dying. The funeral, too many people touching him. Then he was kneeling in front of her headstone. How weather worn it was made him ache. It had been so long since she....he felt something hot hit his hand that was wrapped around the flowers.

He was crying. Not a sob, not a quivering mess. Just tears. Hot and falling one at a time as he poked at an old ache. He reached out and ran fingers down the headstone.

“Hi Mom.”

He set the flowers so they were against the headstone.

“I just....I needed to come.”

He ran hands down his face, “People die around me all the time now.”

He picked at the grass, “What if I get used to it some day? Can people do that? Can....”

He heard something, a car. He watched Derek's camero roll up to the cemetery. He kept as still as he could as he watched Derek go to the other end then kneel in front of a row of graves. He sat there with his mom watching. Derek sure had a lot graves to visit.

_I wonder if Cora has a grave here, since everyone thought she died in the fire_

Eventually he got up and walked over to the alpha.

“Stiles.”

He went and sat next to Derek, “I came to see my mom. With everything that happened, I needed to see her.”

Derek sat there silently

“I remember when she was sick better then I can remember last Monday. The way dad looked when we would go into the hospital. Then after...”

Derek looked up at him, “If you tell anyone about this I will kill you.”

“What? Tell them about you visiting....umph.”

Derek hugged him, it turned into Derek leaning on him, claws clutching at his shirt as they shredded through the cloth.

“I'm so sorry Derek.” How do you comfort someone sitting in front of the graves of his entire family. Where do you even start?

Derek clung to him. His breath in gasps as he tried to calm down, “I had Laura. I had her for a long time. Without her I don't know what I would have done. Before....before it was so different.”

He let go of Stiles acting like his moment of weakness had never happened. “You could have even called it normal. I had this family, this big family. Some were human, but our wolf was such an easy part of us. Most of us had been born wolves. This is just who we are, not something that happened to us. I just....I'm alone now.”

Stiles bumped his shoulder against Derek's, “Don't tell anyone about this either.”

Stiles wrapped an arm over Derek and gave his shoulder a squeeze, “I'm going to propose something. This can be a one time thing, but let's pretend we're friends and that you're not a brooding hermit and that I don't irritate you and go get dinner. Pizza, chinese, anything.”

Derek smirked at him with a quirked eyebrow, “Are you serious?”

“Of coarse, because if I go home I'm going to sit in my room and go through everything my mom touched and have a very very depressing night. Instead, we can do something wacky and be fake buddies so I don't do that and you don't go wallow.”

“Sure.”

“.....really? Ok, yeah. Now I'm going to hug you and you're going to take it.”

Stiles hugged Derek, hands under the jacket wrapping tight around him and everything. Derek grunted then after a moment hugged him back.

 

Stiles and Derek were at the pizza buffet in town. Stiles was staring at Derek eat pizza. Finally Derek had enough, “What?”

“You're eating pizza.”

“So are you.”

“Yeah, but I'm not Derek Hale.”

“You say that like it means something.”

“Well yeah. Derek Hale, you're all rawr.” with appropriate facial expression and hand claws, “more tragic then a Shakespeare character, more brooding then a teen movie star. If I wasn't watching this I would think that you feed off scowling and exercise.”

“Exercise?”

“Have you seen yourself? You're freaking ripped, you must work out like mad.”

Derek gave a half laugh, “It's a werewolf perk. Higher metabolism, but yeah, for the definition I do work out.”

“I knew it! I swear, no matter how much work we do in lacrosse I stay scrawny as all hell.”

“When your metabolism slows it'll be easier.”

“You said you have a higher metabolism, so that implies it's higher then a normal person's.”

“Yeah, but I eat a lot of protein. Most of what I eat is bulk friendly. I thought you ate rabbit food with your dad.”

“How....how do you know that?”

“Just because I don't say anything doesn't mean I'm not listening.” he stuffed his mouth with another slice of meat-a-rama pizza.

“Wow...I don't even know what to say. Gee Derek, I feel all special.”

“You're still an annoying little spaz.”

“Oh ouch, right in the heart. Hey, I've been meaning to ask you, and feel free to tell me to fuck off. I noticed the three betas were super huggy and touchy with each other. Is that a werewolf thing? Are we the only pack that doesn't?”

“Yes. Before......my family was very demonstrative. Touch is good, touch is safe. Touch heals and comforts. It let you know you belong.”

Derek sank in on himself a little.

Vulnerable Derek was vulnerable.

_Do it Stiles, the worst that can happen is you lose a hand._

He reached out and grabbed Derek's hand squeezing, “Hey man, it's ok. Don't dwell, it was a happy thing, right?”

“It was a very happy thing.”

He squeezed Stile's hand back, “My mother was a very powerful alpha, so was my sister. I wasn't prepared for this, it wasn't supposed to be like this.”

Stiles was trying to give him blank face instead of sympathetic face.

“If you repeat any of this I'll break both your legs.”

“Oh hey, that's an improvement. No killing.”

“Maybe this doesn't suck.”

 

They had taken Derek's car from the cemetery, mostly because it was incredibly cool.

“It's still pretty early. Let's do something! We could go to a movie.”

“A movie.”

It was one of his statement questions, “Yes, a movie. Good distraction.”

“I haven't been to a movie since before the fire.”

“See, it's been plenty of time. We should go. I'll buy you popcorn.”

“Buy me milkduds.”

Stiles couldn't help it, he had to stop for a few minutes to laugh.

 

They went to an action movie. Action movies required no thought. They sat next to each other. In the dark quiet of the theatre Stiles was incredibly aware of Derek's thigh touching his. This is the most physical contact they have ever had. _Calm down. It's like a night out with Scott, doing a bro thing._ _Helping your emotionally stunted communication handicapped bro._

Derek was plowing through those milkduds, “Hey, dud me.”

“Dud you?”

“As in move the freaking box close enough so I can get one.”

“No.”

“No? Sharing is caring dude.”

“That would mean I cared.”

“You're a douche, give me a milkdud.”

“Please.”

“What?”

“Say please.”

Stiles grinned at him, Derek was being playful, “Pleeeeeease.”

He moved the box in range why Stiles grabbed a bit of chewy goodness.

 

They walked out with the crowd after the movie. 10 pm, Stiles knew he should get home. Derek put a hand on the center of his back, “I'll take you back to your car.”

Stiles was buzzing with nerves and there was no reason.

“This was actually pretty awesome. It was like we were friends and everything. Look how emotionally healthy this was.”

Derek smiled, “It could have been worse.”

A short drive later while Stiles filled the silence with ramblings on the new Star Trek series references to the original movies and series they made it back to the cemetery. Stiles jeep was still there parked across the street in the grass.

“Later man.” Stiles was trying to minimize the awkward now that they were going to turn back into Derek and Stiles.

Derek just watched him get out, then took off down the country road. Stiles took a couple deep breaths before climbing in and driving the other direction.


	5. If you're looking for trouble, it's already here.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things escalate when a double murder is found just outside of Beacon Hills.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On a lighter note, I'm always amused by low self esteem leading to clueless flirting. In random news apply the following to the fanficton you read:
> 
> Novel: Generally any work of prose fiction over 45,000 words, ranging to about 150,000 words.
> 
> Short Story: Prose fiction of about 2,000 - 7,500 words.
> 
> War and Peace word count: 587,287
> 
> Most of us read novels.....novels worth of fanfiction many nights.

 

 

 

“Hey Dad.”

His dad was in his chair watching a baseball game, “Good game?”

“We'll see, I recorded it four days ago. I need to watch it before someone finally slips and mentions to me who won.”

_I need to tell him_

“Dad.”

Something in his tone made his father pause the game and give Stiles his full attention.

“There's some things you need to know.”

His dad put on his Sheriff face, “Tell me.”

“Cora's dead. There was a frenzied alpha chasing a group of betas after killing their alpha. We had a plan to stop him.....Cora...she...didn't make it.”

“Are you ok?”

His father was on his feet gripping Stiles arms, “Yeah, dad, I'm ok.”

“I had them leave her up there......easier to explain.”

The Sheriff wiped a hand down his face, “She's in the woods.”

“Someone camping....hiking, they'll find her soon. They're not going to be able to explain it...claw marks...giant claws.”

Stiles was shaking, why was he shaking.

“She was torn in half....the pieces....the pieces...”

His dad knelt and hugged his son, “Stiles. I'm so sorry.”

“She's dead. Cora's dead.” His arms clung to his father, finger gripping his soft flannel shirt.

His father stroked his hair, “I want you to stop doing this.”

Stiles shook his head against his dad's shoulder, “Can't.”

“Yes you can Stiles, I can't lose you.”

Stiles leaned back, “Dad, I can't. I have to help, I have to....if I can help, if I can save people.”

His father gave a heavy sigh, “I would say I don't understand, but I do.”

“Stiles. Look at me.”

Red eyed, nose running, tears streaming he looked at his father through a watery haze.

“You can not die. Please, for me, please, be careful.”

 

Stiles was drained. Just, he had nothing left. Energy, motivation, emotions. Tired. He climbed the stairs and flopped on the bed once his dad let him go. It was like he was exhausted and wired at the same time. Every time his brain thought about the afternoon with Derek he got light and excited. Then he would think about Cora and get tired again, then he would think about his dad and want to cry again and.....to hell with it. He tugged at his covers until his top half at least had blanket, he didn't even bother to kick off his shoes.

 

The next morning he was feeling calmer. Saturday was awesome. No school, and still had Sunday before you went back again.

“Ugh.” His mouth felt disgusting. Right, he had fallen asleep with his clothes on, didn't get ready for bed or anything.

“Way to go champ.” He pushed himself out of bed shedding clothes as he went. He brushed his teeth while the shower started up. His phone started buzzing violently on the sink.

“Murpha..ott”

“Huh?”

Stiles spat in the sink.

“What, Scott.”

“Good morning to you too. Look I feel bad about blowing you off last time. Come hang out with me and Isaac. I'll even let you pick the game.”

“Battlefield?”

“But I suck at battlefield!”

“I know, and you get five Allison conversations and that's it.”

“I don't talk about her all the time.”

“If you want I can start keeping count, Romeo.”

“Whatever, you want to come over or not?”

Stiles pouted even though he knew Scott couldn't see it.

“....yes”

 

On the country highway that leads south into Beacon Hills a funny looking man walked along the side of the road, a small pack slung over his back. He hummed to himself as he walked in the midday sun. A truck pulled up beside him, two middle aged men in flannel and a truck bed full of feed.

“Hey there, need a ride?”

His hair was a platinum blond mop on pale skin, “Hey, thanks!”

He hopped in the back next to the feed bags and settled in.

“Where you headed?”

“Anywhere.”

"Well good then, Beacon Hills should work for you."

 

The next morning Sheriff Stilinski pulled up at a crime scene, just not the one he was expecting. He was expecting to find the two halves of Cora Hale. Instead two farmers had chocked each other to death in their pickup. It was a very strange crime scene.

 

Stiles put his father on speaker as he quickly grabbed his controller back up so he could shoot Scott in the back.

“Hey Dad, what's up.”

“Stiles, I need your opinion.”

Stiles looked between Isaac and Scott, “Sure, shoot.”

“I have a crime scene here, but it's not what I was expecting to find after we talked last night.”

Scott mouthed to him, _You told him?_

Stiles nodded, “Ok, what did you find?”

“Two guys that strangled each other to death. Something isn't sitting right with me about this though. Do you have any thoughts?”

“Um wow, I'll have to look into it, but off the top of my head no.”

“Right then, I'll see you at home tonight.”

 

Scott exited the game, “What was that?”

Isaac picked at his sweater, “Something could have made them do it. Made them go crazy and kill each other.”

Stiles blood ran cold, “The same kind of something that could drive an alpha crazy.”

Isaac's eyes got big as he caught on, “It's not just effecting alphas, or even just werewolves.”

“We need to see that crime scene.” Scott stood pulling on his shoes.

Stiles shook his head, “It won't be there, the pickup will be impounded.”

“Then we go to the impound lot.”

“We need Derek and Peter to come too. They're better with their senses then we are.” Isaac pointed out.

“I'll call them, grab your stuff, we can take my jeep.”

 

Stiles stepped outside while Isaac went to find real pants instead of pajamas. He called Derek.

“Stiles.”

He couldn't help but grin. Greeted with his name and everything, who knew dinner and a movie would get him an upgrade.

“Hey Derek. I wish I wasn't calling with bad news, it's becoming a pattern. So you know how that alpha went crazy?”

“I vaguely recall.”

“Two guys just outside of town went crazy and killed each other.”

“People kill each other all the time.”

“Not like this, they choked each other to death. Bring Peter and meet us at the impound. We're going to see if we can find anything.”

Scott walked out, phone to his ear, “Hey, Isaac's almost done. I'm going to call Allison and give them a heads up.”

Stiles nodded still talking to Derek, “We're about to leave, meet you there in a few?”

“I'll pick up Peter, it'll be about 10 minutes.”

 

Stiles parked a couple blocks over. They waited for Derek and Peter to come by and waved them to park next to the jeep.

Stiles laid a diagram out on his hood, “There's a couple of cameras, but they only face outward and have blind spots here and here. We'll climb over at this spot, once inside follow me, I know this place really well.”

They got to the tall fence, Scott and Isaac scaled it no problem.

Stiles stood looking up at it, “Um....hmmm..”

“Here.” Derek laced his fingers together leaning over to give him a boost.

“Derek, I really don't think that's going to be enough to get me over.”

Scott called from the other side of the fence, “We'll catch him.”

“Catch me? What the hell?”

Derek looked like he was trying not to laugh, “Just don't scream.”

Stiles could guess what the plan was, he looked at Derek suspiciously as he set his foot in Derek's hands.

“Keep your legs tensed.”

And Stiles was flying, “Oh fuck!”

He cleared the fence and landed in Scott and Isaac's waiting arms.

“Oh my god! Put me down right now.”

A moment later Derek dropped down beside him, he was definitely smiling now.

“You're a jerk, you know that.”

“And you're a wuss, now take us to the truck.”

Derek gave Stiles a gentle shove as Peter joined them. Stiles didn't miss the questioning look Scott gave him. Hey, if Stiles made friends it wasn't Scott's business. Scott was his brother, but other friends are totally ok. Scott was living with Isaac and had Allison. Stiles could branch out too. In fact, when this was over he was going to hang out with Derek. They were going to do something awesome....like mini golf. He couldn't help the grin that spread on his face.

Scott looked a little worried now, “Dude, are you ok?”

“Yeah, yeah, I just thought of something funny. Follow me, they drop new arrivals over here.”

The wolves poured over the truck being careful not to touch anything even with the gloves Stiles handed out.

Isaac whispered after about 10 minutes of heavy sniffing, “Here.” He pointed to the edge of the tuck bed behind the passenger's side. All the wolves took turns getting a nose full. Peter took a second whiff contemplating, “There's something....it reminds me of something I've smelt before.” He tapped his chin in thought, “I would be very interested to know where they were driving back from.”

“I can find that out. My dad will probably know about it tomorrow.”

“How are you going to get the info?” Isaac asked.

“It'll be Sunday, not weird at all for me to go force some salad and vitamin water on my dad.”

“Tomorrow it is then.” Scott started back to the fence, everyone else trailing after.

Scott leaned down lacing his fingers for Stiles.

“Right, I forgot about this part.”

Derek climbed the fence and dropped turning to Scott, “I've got him.”

Scott nodded as Stiles took a deep breath preparing for the awesome yet terrifying trip over the fence. He stepped into Scott's hands and whoosh!

Then he saw the fence passing under him then the sudden stop as he hit Derek's arms. Derek held him bridal style long enough for him to get his bearings then set him down. Stiles dizzily patted his arm ignoring Derek's amused smirk, “Awesome, I'm good.”

Everyone was already over. Peter turned to the group, “Then we have a plan. Tomorrow Stiles will go be a good son and find out the rest of the story.”

Stiles turned to Scott, “In the morning, you and Isaac should hang out in my room and listen to the scanner, if whatever this is makes people go crazy then we should check out anything like that the police get called about.”

Stiles found himself wishing he had an excuse to have a conversation with Derek. The other night had been fun, maybe they could do it again?

 

Instead he was giving Scott and Isaac a ride back then heading home himself. He was tired and wanted nothing more then a shower and bed. He hadn't showered before going over to Scott's and was starting to feel gross. He let out a happy moan as the warm water ran through his hair and down. This was the first time today he wasn't distracted by games or mysterious deaths. He thought about Derek. If he cared more he would have wondered why he thought about Derek but at the moment he was just smirking to himself at how Derek had caught him. Like it was _The Princess Bride_ or something. He mumbled to himself as he rubbed shampoo into his hair, “Stupid werewolves with their stupid muscles and chiseled bodies.”

He grabbed his face wash/body soap bar and casually worked up a lather while his hair rinsed.

How easily Derek could have just leaned over and kissed him, with how effortless he had caught a flying Stiles, implied there were a lot of things he could do.

“He probably has ridiculous stamina too.” his soapy hand slid down casually stroking himself. Stiles had no illusions, he would be done in under a minute. “Fuck, but Derek brooding wet dream Hale probably has marathon alpha sex. I'd love to top his Olympian ass.” The thought of Derek under him sweating and moaning earned him a nice visual and a twitch in his dick. He laid an arm against the shower tile and rested his head on it, water hitting on his shoulders.

“I bet he never lets his lays be on top.” he mumbled as his hand picked up the pace. He imagined leaning over him, stroking him while Stiles fucked him silly until his body rippled and spasmed and....

“Fuck....Derek.” Stiles shuddered as his orgasm made him lean more on the shower wall. Stiles sighed heavily. Thinking about Derek like this was not going to do him any favors, probably about as many as thinking about Lydia like this had.

 

He was in a tshirt and pajama pants taking a minute to flip through folklore about things that caused madness when he heard the front door as Sheriff Stilinski came in.

“Stiles? You up?”

Stiles sped down the stairs and hugged him.

“Um, hey. Are you alright?”, his dad asked returning the hug.

“Yeah, just sometimes I have a moment.”

“And this is a moment?”

“Yes, this a moment so just enjoy that your son loves you.”

The Sheriff Stilinski chuckled, “Love you too son.”

“I was about to hit the hay, are you headed to sleep?” Stiles pulled away.

“Yeah, I'm beat.” Stiles turned to head upstairs.

“Have you.....have you found anything?”

Stiles froze, “We're working on it.”

That was all the answer his dad wanted.


	6. Non Committal Pancakes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stiles does not so sneaky information gathering from his dad while the madness inducing something strikes again.

 

 

Stiles was pulling a shirt on when Scott and Isaac came climbing through his window, “Morning.”

“Morning guys.”

“Allison's coming over later.”

“Cool.” Stiles knew at that point Isaac would be heading out.

“I'm going to run a couple errands, give my dad a few hours before I go up there.” Stiles pulled on a hoodie and dug around for his keys while Scott pulled the scanner out from under his bed. 

“Make yourselves at home, well, until 5pm that is. At 5 get out.”

Scott threw a dirty shirt from the floor at him as he quickly shut the door. 

Stiles was grinning and nervous as he bounded down the stairs and went out the door and hopped in his jeep. It wasn't early anymore, 9am. He dug out his phone and called Derek.

“Hey Stiles.”

A greeting and his name! Progress!

“Hey, remember that thing where we pretend we're friends?”

“Yeah?” It was a drawn out suspicious question.

“Want to pretend to be friends and get some breakfast with me before I go see my dad?”

There was a long pause. Long enough that Stiles had to fill the silence.

“Sorry, It's early and....”

“Where?”

“Oh, um...we could do that pancake place near the strip mall.”

“That works, see you in about 15.”

Stiles stared at his phone for a moment. That worked, spiffy. They were going to hang out. Yes. A casual breakfast thing. This was good.

Stiles got there first and took a booth towards the back. He figured Derek would appreciate being off in the back. 

His coke had just made it to him when Derek came in. The little jump his heart made, the way Derek was far more attractive then he intellectually knew he should be. 

“Oh shit.” he was crushing on Derek Hale.

 

Derek slipped into the seat across from him. He was smiling, Derek was enjoying hanging out with Stiles. He tried desperately not to blush and to calm his freaking out heart, he knew Derek could hear it. 

“Are you ok?”

_Shit_ , “Yeah, just jittery this morning.”

Derek nodded to his drink, “Caffeine and sugar probably aren't helping.”

“Heh, ADHD doesn't help it either. Strictly speaking I'm supposed to limit my sugar intake.”

“Probably goes about as well as your father eating healthy.”

Stiles opened his mouth to protest, but the waitress interrupted. 

She was making big eyes at Derek, “Anything to drink handsome?”

Derek chuckled, “Coffee please.”

“You,” Stiles pointed with his straw “are a flirt.”

Derek gave him an eloquent lifted eyebrow.

“Seriously, you can sweet talk like a pro when you want to.”

“I've got layers.” then he honest to god smiled, “like an onion.”

“I might have a heart attack. You're funny too.”

“I can be funny.”

Derek pouted. Stiles knew he didn't mean to and would have laughed if it wasn't so cute. Oh fuck. Cute?

Stiles just grinned at him, “You're a freaking parfait.”

They chatted while they ate pancakes and sausage, about movies, history, random shit until he figured out Derek read. Derek read a lot.

“It's just surprising, I didn't expect you to be better read then me.”

“You know, I do have interests outside of werewolves and working out.”

“I will give you that, reading was far more likely then you being a movie buff, or a gamer, or being into paper mache.”

“It's not like your hobbies are surprising at all.”

“I'm chock full of mystery. What else do you do?”

“I'm good at building things, I like philosophy and architecture. You are not a mystery.”

Stiles bristled, “Hey, there's a bunch of stuff about me you don't know.”

“Stiles, you over share constantly.”

“I'm going to surprise you eventually. Come with me on my errands.”

That sure surprised him.

“Uh, why?”

Stiles was trying really hard for casual, “I have to pick up food and drop off dad's dry cleaning before I go up there. It would just be more fun to not go alone.”

“Not alone.”

“It's not a big deal. Scott and Isaac are tied up in my room. Not so bad if something happens and they get found there. Generally though I like company, and you've been really pleasant company.” As Stiles continued on his nervous ramble Derek realized what was going on. Stiles had called him for breakfast. There was no dramatic emotional set up making this just a comfort thing, he had sounded nervous on the phone. Derek had just written it off as Stiles being hyper. Stiles heartbeat when he had come in the diner, the way it had jumped. But then, maybe Derek was reading too much into it. Maybe Stiles was just happy and nervous about them actually getting along. “I understand if you have other things to do, and it's ok if you can't. This was fun maybe some other time..”

“Ok.”

“Ok?”

“I'll come with you.”

 

They were at the deli in the grocery store. Stiles was sifting through the salads passing over a fried chicken tender salad, a ceaser, then setting on harvest fruit and nut salad with a light raspberry dressing.

“Does you dad have a health issue?”

“No, I just.....”

Derek gives him a minute.

“He's all I've got. I just want him around for a long long time.”

Derek gave him a one armed hug, “Your dad's immortal.”

Stiles smiled at him, “I can live with that.”

“How's Peter handling things?”

“He's a psychopath, but then he'll do something that makes me think he misses her. Like he looks back and sees the same regrets.”

Derek got quiet.

“Do you know why she stayed away for so long?”

“I know she was in South America, I just don't know why. She didn't want to talk about it. I figured she didn't stay here because the Argents were still here. I just...it was like Peter, Cora, and I were all strangers and we had just started to find each other again. Everything was so different.”

“You can never go backwards, but hey.” Stiles squeezed his arm and Derek didn't glare at him, “Just keep trying to make what's ahead suck less.”

Derek snorted, “What's ahead always seems to want to kill me.”

 

Stiles wanted to linger when they were done, but he was all out of reasons to keep Derek there, “Right, I'm off to the station. Wish me luck.”

“It's your dad. Call me as soon as you know anything.”

It was awkward....no just, unfinished. Derek huffed and dragged Stiles into a tight hug. He felt the ball of nerves and energy relax against him, his fingers clutched his jacket, “Fake friends is awesome.”

Derek made a hum of agreement. Stiles could enjoy it while happening to notice that Derek had the body of a greek god and he was starting to think he was a very willing virgin sacrifice. Not in the dead way, but in the oh please yes use my body way.

 

Stiles cheerfully bounced into the station bearing salads and veggies with ranch dip. “Hi Carla!” He waved as he waltzed past the front desk.

“Hey Stiles, he's in his office.”

“Thanks!”

Hi dad groaned at seeing Stiles enter with lunch.

“Hey, I brought you lunch! Where's my appreciation?”

“Where's my burger and fries?”

“You really don't need that.”

“Then you don't really need my enthusiasm at rabbit food.”

Stiles pouted as he set out their salads.

“So how's the case coming?”

Stiles studied the board behind his father. Pictures of the two victim/killers connecting them to addresses, a picture of the crime scene, the truck.

His father sighed, “What are you looking for?”

“Huh?”

“You're staring at the board, what are looking for.”

Stiles at least looked sheepish, “Any idea where they were coming from?”

“They had gone to the next town north. The closest feed store in the area.”

_North. The weres had been from a town in Washington state._

“Well that's interesting.”

“Stiles.”

“Seriously, I don't know anything yet. Just a hunch.”

“Tell me your hunch. I'm going to invoke the Father/Son open information act.”

Stiles huffed, “The crazed alpha came from the north. We're not sure what caused it. You know what would be neat? If you happen to hear anything about people suddenly going crazy, letting me know would be awesome.”

His dad nodded, “Great, now get out of here. I've got to get back to work, double murder and all.”

Stiles pulled out his phone to call Derek. He didn't even need to go through contacts, it was his last called. “Stiles, any luck with your dad?”

_Damn it, he was smiling again. This was not a smiling situation_ , “Yeah, it's like I thought they had been in the next town north. It's headed this way. I don't understand why there haven't been more issues. Maybe it's avoiding people?”

“Maybe, but we can't count on that.”

“Hang on, Scott's calling me.”

“Stiles! There's a report of a woman going nuts out...hold on, I wrote it down, she was up at campsite one off the orange hiking trail. She came down the trail screaming about giant spiders attacking her.”

“Oh my...well that's exciting. You don't think she was actually being attacked by giant spiders do you?”

“Stiles, I really doubt it.”

“Fine, I'm coming to pick you guys up and we can go find the mad hatter.”

 

Scott and Allison held hands as they walked up the trail to the campsite. Scott would lean over and nuzzle her cheek like he couldn't stop himself.

“Awww, you guys...” Stiles drawled. Allison smirked, and Scott looked like someone had just woken him up.

“Huh?”

Allison grinned, “Nothing Scott.” she kissed his cheek and he was totally ok with that.

Scott was suddenly alert, “That smell. It's the same as from the truck.”

“While I'm all for running headlong into a dangerous situation. I think we need backup and a plan.”

Scott nodded, moving Allison a little behind him. She looked annoyed for a moment and stepped to the side. Scott looked surprised and hurt then blushed, “Sorry.”

Allison gave him haughty stare then headed back down the trail. Scott looked at Stiles who just shrugged at him, “She's a liberated modern woman. You do tend to emasculate her.”

“I just want to protect her.” He looked crestfallen.

Stiles wanted to pat his head and tell him Allison was being stupid and should just let him protect her, but screw that, that was probably one of Allison's best and most terrifying qualities.

“Look man, I'm just saying in a ranged fight, she kicks your ass. You really need to approach this more keeping in mind that if you are out of arm's reach, she can probably kill you before you get to her.”

A startled light seemed to dawn in his eyes.

“You think that's it?”

“My guess, yes, but you may want to be cautious taking relationship advice from a guy who has yet to date anybody.”

“It'll happen dude. You just got to be patient.”

“You say that now, but I clearly remember a time when Scott McCall was doomed to die alone.”

Scott at least was a little embarrassed, “Yeah well, just sayin.”

“Well thank you for that message from the other side of the fence. I'll listen to Adele and ugly cry about it later.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The last line of the chapter amuses me greatly, especially since I can hear Dylan saying it in my head.


	7. The Mad Wood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stiles needs more info about what they're facing, of coarse the plan to get it puts Stiles in danger. But when you don't have a lot of options, sometimes the worst plan is the best one.

 

 

Everyone was in Derek's loft in the normal layout. Lydia glared at Peter like she wanted to dissect him alive. Sometimes she could pretend it never happened, sometimes not. Allison and Scott sat together and cuddled, maybe Scott had taken Stiles advice. Maybe his advice had even been good. Stiles paced behind the couch where Allison and Scott sat. Peter sat on the spiral stairs doing his watchful lounging, part of things, but at the same time separating himself. Cora's spot on the couch by Isaac and Lydia was empty. Like a neon sign they were all trying to ignore. Derek leaned against his brooding spot at the window talking towards the late afternoon lit glass.

Fine, if no one else was going to start this Stiles would. He had shit to do.

“From what we've seen I think proximity is part of it. There wasn't anything strange about the two guys in the pickup except for the strangling each other part. The same for the woman. It's like whatever it is gives off a crazy aura. Before we came over I did some research and there's lots of instances of things that feed off various emotions. Usually they feed off some negative emotion and I would say the kind of insane shit it's caused it good evidence. Without more info I'm at a standstill though.”

Peter's gaze always had a strange intensity when he was contemplating something, “You need to see it.”

Stiles wiped his nervous palms on his jeans.

“I'll go.” Derek pushed off from the wall turning to face the group.

“You can't.” Stiles said crossing his arm prepping for an argument. Peter came to his aid, fingers steepled in front of him as he spoke.

“If this creature is causing madness Stiles is the only choice really. You,” he pointed to Derek, “most certainly can't go. Anyone who's a shifter is out. Who knows what a banshee would do, and Allison is more then capable with weaponry so that leaves...”

“Me. The squishy completely not dangerous human. If I do get effected by the crazy beam we know from Tom and the hiker lady that it wears off.”

“We'll take up a perimeter so if you freak out we can keep you from hurting yourself or someone else.”

“When are we doing this?” Allison asked turning to look at Stiles.

“We should do it now, before whatever it is moves too far. We need to take care of this here.”

“Then let's head out.” Scott stood giving a hand to Allison, “Lydia can stay with the cars while we circle.”

Allison looked at him a little surprised, “Just Lydia?”

“Well, unless she wants to take a section of woods.”

“You don't want me waiting with the cars?”

“Um....no. Should I?”

Allison kissed him like no one was watching, “That might be the sexiest thing you've ever said.”

Scott had a goofy grin, “Cool.”

Allison rolled her eyes as she led Scott out of the loft followed by Lydia.

Derek tossed his keys to Peter, “Give me a minute, I want to talk to Stiles.”

Peter raised an eyebrow and looked between the two, but left without comment.

The silence was suddenly oppressive.

“It's the only plan that makes sense.” Stiles said softly. He was scared and angry that Derek was going to argue about this when it made total sense.

“I don't care if it makes sense. If something happens...”

“If something happens it's a lot easier to subdue me then a wacked out werewolf.” he was getting pissed and had taken a step closer getting in Derek's face.

“You're going to let me do this because it makes sense, because no matter how much you don't like it, it's our best option. Of coarse I don't _want_ to do it, but I'm going to because if I don't we're just going to be waiting for something bad to happen.”

“Stiles! This is dangerous, because you _are_  a squishy human.” Derek's face was an open book, he was scared for Stiles. He was fucking scared for Stiles and not in just a pack way either....he....

Stiles grabbed his face and kissed him. Every nerve was on fire, what the hell had he just done. Derek's lips were against his making them tingle. His whole body vibrated as his brain started catching up, his lips were moving against Derek's, at some point his tongue had slipped into Stiles willing moaning mouth.

Derek pulled back, “What are you doing?”

“Shut up.” Stiles hissed at him. He was about to risk his life, he was getting this. He kissed Derek with every moment between them, every touch that led to now. He pushed and Derek fell back onto the couch, Stiles quickly straddling him, putting his mouth back to work. Warm rough hands slid under his shirt making his overly sensitive back arch. Stiles gasping and arching back seemed to do things for Derek who grabbed his waist and suddenly he was under Derek on the couch moaning like mad as the fabric over their straining arousals rubbed against each other.

A knock on the door.

Peter's voice came through, “If you two are done 'discussing' things we really should get a move on.”

It was like a bucket of cold water. Before Stiles could get his bearings Derek was by the door shrugging on his jacket and leaving.

Stiles stood straitening his shirt, “Doooooouche.” He rushed after Derek thinking of impending danger before he got around a bunch of super senses werewolves instead of firm hands and a rippling back and... “oh fucknuts.”

 

Derek, Peter, and Isaac rode in the camero. Lydia had shotgun while Allison and Scott were in the back of Stiles' jeep.

“Did Derek not like the plan?”

Stiles snorted, “Derek doesn't like anything.”

“He didn't do anything, did he?” Scott sat up leaning over Stiles shoulder, “You seem kind of riled up.”

“No, his stupid face wanted to argue about it for stupid reasons.”

“I know it's not ideal. I wish there was a less Stiles endangering way. What didn't he like?”

“He uh....he thought it was a waste of time. That we should just nuke and be done.”

Lydia gave him a suspicious look.

_Shut up shut up_

“Well, he can bitch when he has a better plan.” He could have kissed Allison.

“Exactly.”

 

Stiles pulled the 'borrowed' set of walkie talkies from the police station from his back seat and handed them out.

“Radio in when you pick up the scent, from there we'll figure out a perimeter.”

They teamed up and moved off into the woods. Stiles and Isaac went North, Scott and Allison headed West, leaving East to Peter and Derek.

Isaac led Stiles quickly through the undergrowth stopping to sniff randomly. He came to a full stop at one point and pulled out his walkie talkie, “I have the scent. Follow our trail from the campsite.”

He and Isaac moved ahead, Stiles was trying to not crash through the underbrush.

Isaac put a hand out towards Stiles, “It's just ahead. Hold up, I can see him. It's some human guy, he's human but smells like....something else too. I'm going to fall back for the others.” He squeezed Stiles shoulder, “Be careful.”

With that Stiles was alone seriously rethinking his plan. He took a deep breath and headed into the clearing knowing the pack was already fanning out to protect him.

The man watched Stiles walk into the clearing with a tired resignation, “Go away.”

“Excuse me?”

“I strongly advise you to go away.”

“Is that because being around you is going to make me go insane?”

The man looked surprised and gripped his bushy blond hair, “How did you know?”

“Because I'm smarter then the average bear. The alpha Tom, the two men in the truck, but you don't seem terribly evil.”

“Evil is such a relative term. The men in the truck....I thought I would be gone quick enough. I was as far away from them on the truck as I could get. A little bit is usually alright. Trust me, I've done plenty to deserve this punishment.”

“What is this punishment?” Stiles kept seeing movement out of the corner of his eye. He was within arms length.

“Do you know the story of Cassandra?”

Stiles furrowed his brow. There were eyes this time, things were moving and watching, “Yeah.” he licked his lips starting to feel nervous, “She had the gift of prophecy but no one believed her.”

The man laughed, “I think I know how she feels. Just being near me drives people insane. I was trying to help that alpha, but...he was unconscious. He was near longer then anyone has ever been before.”

Something was happening to Stiles left but he was going to ignore it he was not going to look, “The longer they're near, the longer the madness lasts. Hurry up, how did this happen. How do we stop it?”

“I was cursed by a trickster god for disobeying or possibly just for being boring. My curse is to wander alone. I need to be around people to feed on the madness, but I get to watch everyone I'm around go mad.”

“You're scrawny because you've been avoiding people. Metaphysically starving yourself.”

“I want to die.”

Simple, matter of fact, “I can't kill myself, but you could. You need to leave, it's getting to you.”

“Who are you?”

Stiles couldn't ignore the cries behind him any longer. He turned to look. Part of him knew that was the main mistake, but shit it was his dad. His father stumbled out of the forest clutching his stomach. Blood poured from him out of a giant gash as he stumbled, he looked at Stiles and dropped his hand from the gushing wound. Stiles felt his stomach turn as he saw bright pink organs pulsing through the tattered flesh and clothes, “Stiles! Why didn't you warn me?” Behind the Sheriff, Scott appeared out of the tree line. His father turned on the limping werewolf.

“Galen, now bring me a stake of mountain ash bathed in your alpha's blood and stick it in my fucking heart.”

He watched as his father shot Scott in the chest. Once, twice, three times, four, five, his father cursed as his clip clicked empty and turned to run. Scott attacked, bullets falling out of him with little streams of blood.

“No!! Scott! No!” Stiles ran towards them. Scott leaned over his father and tore out his throat. A horrible wet gurgle sounded as his lungs pushed air through the pooling blood and ruined flesh.

Then Scott was watching him, face painted red from his father, hanging scraps in his teeth, “Scott, stop. It's me, Stiles.” He was feral, he looked at Stiles and there wasn't anything human in there.

“Please...Scott.” Stiles backed away slowly, eyes flicking to his father's body, “this can't..”

Scott let loose a chilling howl and barreled towards Stiles. Stiles ran, his heart hammered in his chest ready to explode. Branches caught at him, grabbing at his shirt, cutting at his face and arms.

 

Scott heard him coming well before he appeared, “Stiles! What happened?” Stiles took one look at him with the wild eyes of a cornered animal and took off in another direction.

“Shit.” Scott pulled out his radio, “Derek, he's headed your direction. He's lost it.”

The radio crackled, “Got it, I can hear him coming.”

 

Derek braced himself for the frantic storm that was about to be on him. He saw Stiles and moved to cut him off. He didn't bother trying to reason with him, he simply tackled the frantic kicking teen. The plan was going pretty well until Stiles sank his teeth into Derek's forearm. Derek roared, shifting as he pinned him. He moved so he could pin Stiles face first in the ground, “You little shit!” Stiles fought like a madman too. Anything less then Derek's supernatural strength and he would have made it loose.

“Allison!” Derek yelled. Scott and Isaac made it first staring. Derek growled at them, “We need Allison's tranq dart.” He was trying really hard not to dislocate Stiles shoulder. Isaac radioed her.

Scott helped hold him, letting Derek get a better grip. He shifted, trying to not hurt Stiles who of coarse managed to jerk his head up into Scott's nose, breaking it in a splatter of blood, “Fuck!”

There was a sickening pop as Stiles finally managed to dislocate his shoulder in his struggles, Allison came crashing in, dart gun already aimed and shot into Stiles unhurt arm. He finally stilled under them, Scott and Derek panted as they released him.

“Holy shit.” Isaac watched wide eyed, “That was...”

“Insane...” Peter supplied, “We should pop that back in before he wakes up.”

Derek nodded and lifted his limp form, taking the shoulder in hand and shoving his arm back into place. Stiles whimpered, too drugged to wake up.

Allison handed Scott a tissue from her pocket as he wiped the blood off his face while his nose healed.

“We don't know how long this will last, we need to get him back to the flat and restrained before the sedative wears off.” Derek tossed Stiles' limp form over his shoulder and they filed back to the campsite.

Lydia was leaning against the camero taking selfies with the car, “Is he ok?!”

“No.”

Lydia quickly pulled out Stiles keys and they got him into the back of his jeep. Scott kissed Allison's cheek, “I'll ride with Derek and Peter, you two go ahead with the jeep.”

In drug induced nightmares Stiles bounced as they drove off in a cloud of dust.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Most common typo I correct: "Scott" mistyped as "Scoot"
> 
> I spent quite a while trying to decide what would be the most disturbing hallucination to Stiles. I think I made a pretty good guess.


	8. Two Steps Forward, One Giant Leap Off the Cliff

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Stiles subdued after his hallucination they know what it's going to take to give Galen peace, but can Stiles do it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whips and chains excite me.

 

 

Back at the loft Derek had dug out his shackles and chains as Scott kept an eye on Stiles laid out on Derek's bed. Allison was cleaning his multiple cuts, “It's good he's asleep for this or he would be crying.”

Derek looked like the start of a really kinky porno as he came in with the restraints slung over his shoulder, “We'll run the chain under the bed.”

He and Scott got Stiles secured, the links running from one shackle then under the bed to the other. They did the same with his feet. Scott stood back, “That really really should hold him.”

“If it doesn't I'll eat my shirt.” Derek growled. Isaac stood in the doorway, “He was pretty scrappy.”

“Yeah, thanks for the help.” Scott quipped. Isaac raised his hands, “You guys totally had it.”

Lydia came in, “Allison, we need to go. Over cover story is spent.” Allison nodded and packed up the first aid kit. She kissed Scott, “Tell me as soon as anything changes.”

Scott dropped into a chair beside the bed and pulled out his phone checking the time, “Oh no. I'll be back in half an hour, I have to pick my mom up from work.”

Derek nodded to him. It took five minutes before he realized he was alone with Stiles. It made him feel pent up. He looked down at the brave stupid unconscious guy in his bed and let out a resigned sigh.

He sat on the edge of the bed and touched his sleeping face, brushed a thumb over his lips.

“Please don't wake up in the next couple of minutes.”

Derek sighed and laid his head on Stiles chest making sure not to catch his foot on the chain, “I don't know what to do with you.”

Stiles smelled like terror and sweat, “You surprise me all the time and I don't know what to do with you. Everyone I love dies. If I love you, will that kill you too? The universe wouldn't even need to try that hard, you're a magnet for dangerous situations. This is a great example, you decided it was a _good_ idea to just walk and see what it was that drove an alpha into a tri-state killing frenzy.”

He nuzzled Stiles chest giving in to the impulse. He jerked up when he felt Stiles breathing change.

Stiles blinked groggily, still trying to shake the drug. He tried to move his arm to then froze. He panicked looking around the unfamiliar room before his eyes landed on Derek.

“Derek?”

“How do you feel?”

Stiles noticed the restraints, “I'm guessing I went nucking futz.”

Derek nodded.

“So what do I need to do to assure you I'm sane, or did I also agree to something kinky without realizing it.”

Derek smirked, it was too easy a set up, “Well, there was a conversation on the way back....”

Stiles eyes were as round as saucers and his jaw dropped. Derek was trying not to laugh, so he settled for a predatory grin. He listened as Stiles heart rate shot through the roof, arousal pouring out of every pore and spread eagle as he was it was impossible to hide how his pants tightened. This was not the reaction Derek was expecting, but it was definitely an upgrade. Derek was following an impulse. He climbed on the bed and straddled Stiles who was watching him with eyes still wide, panting breaths through parted lips. Derek leaned over him taking his lips in a slow kiss. Stiles decided that he was still asleep and this was just a result of his shower happy fun solo time. Derek's searing deliberate kiss drew a moan out of Stiles as he strained against the chains wanting to wrap around him. Derek smirked at Stiles frustrated growl and descended on his neck. Slow kisses with little licks down his throat, hot breath against his neck between each jolting contact. Stiles writhed beneath him tilting to give more access. Derek hummed in approval as his lips kissed and sucked next to his collar,.

“Oh my god Derek.....”

A nip over his pulsing jugular made Stiles hips jerk. Derek slid down Stiles restrained body until his face hovered over his stomach. He nosed Stiles shirt up and licked a line from the edge of his jeans halfway to his chest. Stiles arched beneath him, pressing his straining crotch against Derek's chest.

“You are going to kill me.” Stiles moaned as Derek nipped his stomach, “Ridiculous alpha stamina sex will kill me.”

Derek chuckled as his hands gripped Stiles hips and held them down, “Maybe.” Stiles eyes rolled back at the thought, as Derek kissed his way back up, working his shirt higher. He leaned up taking another kiss laced with a deeper lust.

And Stiles suddenly found himself colder as the warm body that had been on him disappeared.

“The hell Derek!”

The door to the loft opened as Scott walked back in, “Oh hey! You're awake!”

Derek quickly grabbed the key and started unlocking him, not making eye contact with Stiles, “Yeah, he just woke up. It seems the effects wore off.”

Stiles sat up shifting so his hoodie had maximum coverage, “But I don't remember anything....it's pointless if I can't remember.”

“I have an idea.” Derek said disappearing into main room.

 

That was how about an hour later Stiles found himself seated in the middle of the living room with Peter standing behind him.

“This is going to hurt.”

“Just for the record, your ideas are terrible Derek.”

Peter smiled down at him, “Just try not to move.”

Then claws were piercing into his neck.

Peter was sifting through his memories going straight for earlier, he ghosted over the ones from after they got back. Stiles could feel the hesitation, how Peter wanted to look at them so he called up his memories of arriving in the woods. Peter voiced them as they got clearer.

“It's a man. Platinum blond, pale. He's avoiding people, trying not to drive anyone mad. Tom was helping him. He says it's curse....he wants Stiles to kill him......the Sheriff is there? He's dying...oh I see, you're going mad. He says..Galen...he wants Stiles to come back? No wants him to bring back a stake of mountain ash....covered in alpha blood and stab him in the heart. Oh my. He's seeing Scott....well that's gruesome...”

“That's enough Peter.” Derek growled.

Peter withdrew his claws and Scott caught Stiles as he fell forward, trails of blood oozing down his neck, “Oh my god, I remember.”

Stiles ran for the bathroom, as Derek and Scott looked at Peter in confusion. The noises of Stiles losing everything he had eaten that day sounded in the background.

“Is he ok?” Scott seemed torn between wanting to go help and not wanting to see. Peter shrugged dismissively, “His hallucination was quite vivid and for him I would imagine quite disturbing.”

It was 10 minutes before Stiles emerged from the bathroom, “I need to go home and hug my dad. Now.”

Scott reached out to offer a hug or touch, but Stiles cringed away. Scott looked confused and hurt. “No Scott, it's not. You're fine. It'll be fine, it's just going to take me a little bit.”

“Stiles....what happened?” his face was etched in concern, Derek was sitting on the couch being unobtrusive.

“Remember that time you tried to kill me?” Scott nodded.

“Multiply that by 10 and add killing my dad.” Stiles grabbed his stuff and left.

 

It was after midnight when Stiles walked in. His dad was still awake, sitting in his chair beer in hand.

“Stiles?”

“Yeah, it's me dad.”

He shakily walked into the living room, he must have looked like a ghost.

“Out working on...Stiles, what's wrong?”

He took another shuffling step towards his dad, just drinking in the fact that he was alive and ok. His dad knowing in the way only a parent can quickly drug Stiles into a tight hug.

“Dad, I'm just glad you're ok.”

“Stiles please tell me what's going on.”

“I ….I can't.”

“That's not going to work, Stiles you are going to tell me what's going on.” His father kept him in their tight hug.

“I saw you die.”

That explained a lot, “I'm ok son, I'm here and alive.”

“I....I know.”

“Come on, let's sit down and I really need you to tell me about it before my fatherly concern makes me lock you in a holding cell for the rest of your life.”

Stiles dropped onto the couch, “The thing causing the madness isn't trying to hurt anyone. The truck was an accident. We're trying to help it. I just got a little too close.”

_Well that was a heavily watered down version of events._

_...but not a lie_

“You promise you're ok?”

“Yeah Dad, I'm ok. I'm being careful.”

 

Scott talked to Deaton. Of coarse he had a branch of mountain ash. He and Scott spent the afternoon turning it into a stake.

“We're really going to do this.....we are actually going to do this.”

Scott turned the crude stake in his hand, “Stiles, I think it has to be you.”

“Me? What? Can't we just send in psychopath Peter to do it?”

“If Peter has to be right on him to do it, and proximity makes it worse.....”

“We would have a crazed Peter on our hands and all the non healing humans would die.” Stiles finished miserably. He chewed on his sleeve, “I need to do it sooner then later.”

“Yeah, are you going to be able to do this? I don't know if I could...”

“I really don't know.”

 

Stiles spent the rest of the afternoon double checking everything Galen had said, everything he had mentioned. A stake covered in alpha's blood as a weapon. He said a trickster....Loki? See, Avengers taught everyone a little about Norse mythology. Loki had been bound with the entails of one of his sons. Hmm, but how would alpha blood fit in?

Fenrir, Norse werewolves. A son of Loki, the blood of a descendant to break the curse of a trickster.

It made horrible, horrible sense. Mountain ash and the blood from the line of Loki.

This was some crazy Grimm fairy tale where the mermaid uses the prince's blood to turn back, or the wicked step sisters cut off their toes......or the trickster god is bound with the fucking entrails of his son until Ragnarok.

 

Later that night he went to Derek's with the stake. It was like he was in a surreal world. Everything was distorted and hazy. He knocked on Derek's door.

_What time is it?_

Derek looked confused when he opened the door to a lost and wide eyes Stiles. He stood there shirtless wearing some gray loose pajama pants.

“Stiles...what's wrong?”

“I'm going to have to kill him.”

Derek pulled him into a hug, Stiles hiding against the curve of his neck.

“Let me do it for you.” Derek whispered.

Stiles shook his head against the warm skin of his neck, “You can't for the same reasons you couldn't before.”

Derek's hand stroked his back soothingly. Stiles voice was small, so small and fragile, “What are we doing Derek? Before....It's just something I would like to know before I do this.”

His hand came to a stand still.

“I don't know.” his voice was hallow and careful, like he was holding porcelain.

Stiles was not porcelain, “No! You're going to tell me, because we were nothing, and then we were sort of friends and then you're on top of me and I was going to lose my fucking mind.” He shoved Derek, not like it was going to do anything but it felt good. Of coarse the fucking werewolf just stood there like an immoveable statue.

“So before I cover this fucking stick in your blood and shove it into some guy's heart this is something I want to know!”

Stiles yelled and punched the wall. Derek was suddenly there behind him holding his arms back. He whispered angrily in Stiles' ear, “Because every single time I love someone, or I think I love someone they either die or they destroy my world.”

Derek spun Stiles and shoved him against the wall, “Why are you different? Why are you not going to die?” Derek was in his face yelling, but Stiles knew better.

“Because I'm Stiles. I've been here this whole time. I've been in the thick of all this madness, all the fighting and death, and your two psycho exes and I AM STILL HERE.”

Derek searched his face, both of them panting with anger.

“You can't die.” Derek gripped his chin and kissed him hard. Stiles sighed, he wanted this. He ached for this, but he pushed Derek away, his hands lingering on his warm bare chest.

“No. I am done being confused.”

“Don't you want this?” Derek searched his face, everything told him Stiles wanted this desperately.

Stiles clenched his fists leaning into Derek who wrapped his arms around him. It felt amazing being held like this, “I do, but you're Derek. Do you want to fuck me or do you want to have a inadvisable destructive relationship with poor communication skills?” His heart was pounding as he looked up at Derek's face, searching.

“I don't know.....” His eyes were full of fear and hesitation. Stiles had found something that terrified Derek. Their faces were close, almost touching, “If you don't know, then I'm leaving.”

Little Stiles wanted to stay very badly, but Stiles with self respect only wanted to stay under certain conditions. He sighed heavily, relationships were built on compromise.

“Ok, you're full of emotional trauma. We'll compromise, because I suspect fuck buddies with you is a bad idea.” Stiles closed his eyes, “and that's not what I want anyway. Look Derek, being fake friends with you was awesome. I like that Derek. I like him a lot, and I would hope...” Stiles leaned in close, impulsively brushing lips against Derek's ear, “the Derek that likes me tied down on the bed,” he ran his tongue along the edge of his ear making the alpha gasp, “the one that has me _aching,_ I would hope he's interested.” Stiles could feel the tension, the vibrating of the body he was pressed against. He was pressing buttons, Stiles knew provoking an alpha was probably a bad idea, but he couldn't seem to...stop. Ok, maybe he was going to indulge a little. Stiles growled and nipped his earlobe then kissed down that tense, throbbing neck. He was in serious danger of his brain turning off. Derek bit and licked a burning line down his warm salty skin as he pressed him back against the wall. Stiles moaned as he felt Derek's hardness grinding against his thigh. Stiles threw his head back against the wall behind him.

“Oh fuck....Derek.....This...I...” Derek took the opening. He latched onto Stiles accessible neck, teeth and tongue against his skin. He could feel a bruise forming and it was just making him harder. _Note to self, I like rough._

“Right, here's my compromise.” Stiles gasped out as he buried his fingers in Derek's hair, “let's round a few bases, but no homerun.” He gripped the hair in his fingers tugging back hard forcing Derek to look at him, “I was going to have an adult conversation about this and let you have an opinion...”

Derek growled cutting him off, “Yes we're dating, fine, now shut up about my feelings.”

Derek gripped beneath his thighs and easily lifted Stiles, kissing him hard and desperate. He walked them over to the couch. Derek followed him down onto the cushions, Stiles legs wrapped around his waist. He moaned as they kissed, their hips rolling together, grinding with need. Derek's hands slid down his back, pulling him impossibly close as Stiles gripped his shoulders reveling in the feel of his rolling shoulders and tensing back. Derek dipped to attack Stiles neck again, blunt teeth nipping his sensitive tingling skin

Stiles came back to himself enough to grip Derek's hair pulling him up again, “I want more.”

“Stiles, are you sure.”

“Derek, I don't want the whole enchilada tonight, but I've been risking my life a lot lately so I really really want you to take third.” Stiles couldn't stop the blush, but it didn't make it less true. Later they would make out for hours and cuddle and have sickening amounts of PDA, but right now he wanted this, with Derek, before the world exploded.

Derek's pupils were so large, Stiles marveled as he leaned up to kiss Derek, whispered words against his lips, “I want you Derek.”

The alpha's body trembled as his fingers gripped Stiles thighs. Then those lips were on Stiles neck pressing him back against the couch, sucking and biting a line to his collar. A moment later his shirt disappeared somewhere and a trail of kisses wound down his chest. He could feel the bruises rising in the wake of Derek's aggressive lips. His mouth on Stiles stomach made him arch against that soft wet feeling, his tongue tracing to the top of his jeans. He nipped at the impeding pants before flicking them open, kisses along his happy trail, tongue dipping just under the elastic of his boxers.

“Oh my god....Derek.”

Firm fingers gripping his jeans, tugging them off. Stiles lifted his hips letting them slide off, not thinking about how he was under Derek in just his boxers now.

Derek had what he would qualify as an evil grin as his lips closed over his fabric covered head, “Fuck, if you keep...I'll come if you look at me too hard.”

Derek chuckled, “Guess I should get a move on then.”

“I can support that. I'll just think about baseball for a second.”

“With all those balls and sticks?”

“You suck.”

“I'm about to.”

Stiles eyes rolled back, “Oh holy fuck Derek.”

He pulled down Stiles boxers enough to free him taking a moment to appreciate his bobbing length before taking Stiles in his mouth.

A string of cursing came out of Stiles mouth to make a sailor blush. Derek hummed in amusement around his painfully hard erection. He let Stiles have a moment to try and adjust before taking him deeper, encasing him in soft and warm. Fingers in his hair, shaking, his breaths coming in tattered gasps. Stiles felt like he was going to fall apart. This was a first for him, and it didn't help that just being around Derek had started making his cock twitch. He risked opening his eyes to look down. The sight of Derek sliding his head up and down his length, lips wrapped tight around him, eyes closed in pleasure at the feel.

“Derek, I'm...I can't..I'm.”

A hand found his lacing fingers with his. Stiles was done. He came with a moaning cry, toes curling, hips straining, mouth agape.

When he came back to reality Derek was leaning over him, “Hey.”

Stiles had a stupid smile, “Hey.” He stroked a hand down his cheek, over the rough stubble then leaned up for a chaste kiss.

“I don't think I need to tell you that was mind blowing.”

“It's good to hear.”

“I wouldn't think your ego would need stroking.”

“Either way, it's nice to hear.”

Derek moved to get up. Stiles grabbed onto him, “Not yet, just not yet.”

Derek nodded and laid back down against him, “Do you think I can talk you out of this with amazing sex?”

Stiles groaned, “Oh my god, I wouldn't survive. That might actually be more dangerous.”


	9. To Kill a Curse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things were moving so well for Stiles and Derek, but something always seems to derail them.

Stiles woke up naked. His first instinct was to panic because he was naked and this was not his bed, but oh hey that's an arm around his waist...my what a muscular arm and _oh my god Derek went down on him._

Stiles could feel his entire body flush at the memory of watching Derek suck his dick into his mouth. Oh, and Stiles hadn't reciprocated. _Oh ouch, I'm a non reciprocating douche._

He laid there enjoying Derek breathing softly against the back of his neck, the line of his body pressed warm and solid against him. _Of coarse I'm the little spoon_. Stiles rolled his eyes and shifted until he could roll over and face Derek. He settled back down and realized Derek was watching him.

“Morning.”

“Morning.”

Suddenly Stiles found himself wrapped tightly in Derek's arms and forcibly pressed tightly against his awesomely firm chest. Stiles chuckled and kissed at his chest, then nuzzled into his neck.

“Derek Hale is a cuddler.”

Derek growled then kissed his head, “It's in our nature. Not my fault.”

“I have to go to school.”

Derek groaned, “That sounds like an awful idea.”

“Oh really? I want elaboration.”

Stiles kissed his nose and slipped out of his arms and the covers gathering randomly discarded clothes.

“Borrow one of my shirts.” Derek waved to rough looking dresser to the side. For some reason borrowing Derek's shirt was making him blush, “You were going to elaborate?”

Derek sighed, “It's awkward that the guy you sucked off has to get up to go to high school.”

“If it's any consolation, _I_ kissed _you_.” Stiles smirked, but Derek saying that made him nervous. Very nervous. He pulled on a borrowed black shirt and crawled back onto the bed towards his shirtless glory.

“Derek, if I could make this easier for you, I would, in a heartbeat. But you are a bit of a douche when that was my first heavy sexual encounter and I have to reassure _you_. Oh and by the way, I feel awesome that the first guy I spent the night with is having buyer's remorse.”

Derek growled angry and annoyed. He reached over grabbing Stiles and rolling him beneath him. Derek glared at him, their faces close, “You are infuriating. You drive me insane, put yourself in danger when you are the least able to heal, your dad is the sheriff who knows me as that guy who was accused of murder, and.....”

He leans over nuzzling at Stiles neck, “I will never regret last night.”

Stiles might cry....but that would kill his manly image. He settles for clinging to Derek in relief that he's ok, and they're ok, and it wasn't a terrible life decision.

“Good, because if you regretted it, I was going to stab you with my mountain ash stake.”

 

 

The bane of Stiles' existence is that Scott sits behind him in two classes.

“Dude, what's that on your neck?”

Stiles had a moment of panic, because he hadn't seen any marks....but he hadn't checked the back of his neck.

_Shit_.

“It's nothing Scott.”

“Really? Because what it looks like is a hickey, actually multiple hickies.”

Stiles squirmed with discomfort wishing he could be anywhere but under Scott's uncomfortable scrutiny.

“It's really nothing.”

“Are you seeing someone secretly?”

“No.”

“You're lying Stiles.”

“Yes, I am seeing someone. No I am not talking about it.”  
Scott gives him a mischievous grin, “Don't worry, I'll just keep guessing until I hear your heart jump.”

 

Scott is a stubborn bastard.

“Danny?”

“Kerrie in biology?”

“Sean?”

“Isaac?”

“Carrie in English?”

“Kerry, on the team?”

Stiles punched Scott in the arm, “Are you cycling through all the Carrie names in the school?”

“Starting with our grade.” Scott smirked.

 

They sat together at lunch. They all knew that afternoon the pack was taking Stiles to go kill someone. It was a lot easier to not talk about it.

“Alex in Chem?”

“Alyx in Trig?”

Stiles slammed his fists on the table, “OMG Scott STOP!”

Lydia looked him over across the table and glanced at Allison.

“Allison?”

Stiles buried his face in his hands as Allison laughed. Stiles glared at her, “Good to know that is completely impossible.”

“Cora?”

Oh shit they were getting close. Scott looked at him, “His heart jumped a little.....is it we're close or is it Cora?”

“It's not Cora.”

“Not lying.”

“But it's someone like Cora?” Allison asked.

Lydia's eyes got big, then even bigger. Her perfectly made up lips forming into a little O.

“Are you out of your mind Stiles?” She asked.

Stiles started blushing, the red creeping up his face. _Oh dear holy she guessed._

Lydia leaned over looking at him like Stiles had turned green and started sprouting glowing leaves.

“You're seeing Derek Hale.”

“Oh my god kill me.”, Stiles groaned.

Lydia looked impressed, Allison looked concerned, Isaac seemed unsurprised, and Scott was shocked.

“Are you sleeping with Derek?” Scott grabbed his arm across the table.

“What? No!....not yet.”

“Not yet?! Is it on your to do list?!”

“Trebuchet.”

Scott shut his god awful mouth and looked at Stiles. Allison and Lydia looked confused, “What's trebuchet?”, Allison asked.

Lydia popped a grape in her mouth, “A medieval siege engine.”

Allison rolled her eyes and looked at Scott, “Explain.”

Scott squirmed, “I don't really want to.”

Stiles was taking deep breaths, “It's our conversation safeword.” Stiles ran a hand through his hair, “I'm going to tell you everything I am willing to say on this subject and then is it closed.”

Scott opened his mouth to argue.

“CLOSED.” Stiles yelled. He was red from anger now too, “Derek and I are hanging out. Yes, we have kissed. You get no information beyond that. It's new....very very new.”

Scott was still glaring at him, “You're wearing his shirt.”

“No comment.” Stiles quickly buried himself in his applesauce.

 

It was a very tense drive to Derek's after school. Stiles was starting to panic. This wasn't like knowing it was obstacle coarse day in gym and he was going to fall on his face, or that he had done something stupid and his dad somehow found out, this was going to be something he might not be able to come back from. He was taking preemptive measures to stop a panic attack. Deep breathing is awesome. Stiles had kept the stake with him, mostly so Derek wouldn't decide to save him. There was no guarantee that he could do it before they ended up with a rampaging alpha. Stiles fiddled with the stake nervously. This was one of the few times he didn't want to ramble on, the words got tangled in his mouth. Derek was pulling the door open as they walked up. Stiles saw the alpha hesitate.

“It's ok, they figured it out.” Without questions Derek pulled Stiles against him, holding tight.

“It's not too late, I could still do this.” Stiles nuzzled his face against Derek's neck, “That's dangerous and not just to you.”

Derek rumbled unhappily.

Stiles sighed pushing off, “We should do this. We need to do this before I can't.”

They piled into the jeep and camero and drove back up to the campsite. Derek took the stake then sliced down his arm letting the blood drip and run onto it. Derek held on, “It's not too late.” Stiles shook his head, “Yes it is.”

Stiles followed Isaac along the path they had taken before. His fingers covered in Derek's blood as he held it. The liquid drying on his fingers. Before Stiles was ready Isaac as turning to him, “I should stop here. Stiles,” Isaac hugged him, “we're all here. Just call out and we'll come.” Stiles nodded numbly. He needed to protect himself from this, shut down. Stiles woodenly walked into the clearing. The slim bushy haired blond on the stump in the middle of the clearing. His eyes were so tired as he looked up at Stiles.

“Do it quickly.”

Stiles exhaled. The man, Galen, his name was Galen. No.....no thinking. The human lay down on the grass, he closed his eyes smiling softly, “There are some things that are worse then death human, remember that.”

Stiles dropped to his knees over him, he wrapped one hand around the stake, the other he used to brace on the end of it. With a scream Stiles stabbed down praying this went easily. The stake pierced his skin roughly, stopping partway in. Tears stung his eyes as Stiles pushed on the end of the stake, using his body weight to force it the rest of the way. The body exhaled. The limbs went slack. The chest was still. Stiles curled in on himself and sobbed. He knew the wolves could hear.

“Leave me alone.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I now live for the moment Stiles says, "I missed you." in 3B. Just sayin' and keeping my fingers crossed that it actually happens.


	10. The Backdraft

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In all of Beacon Hills there's really only one person who even might understand what taking Galen's life does to Stiles.

It was easily two hours before Stiles came out of the clearing. Everyone had stayed in their spot, waiting. When they heard him start moving, they headed back together.

Stiles was silent. Everyone was lost in their own thoughts. This had been different. Always it had been someone trying to kill them, self defense was different. It reminded Scott of when Boyd died. No victory, no triumph. Just death. He couldn't even imagine what this did to Stiles.

 

Stiles was blank. In a book he read once, they had described the place they went when they had to take the shoot. That it was white and static like the snow on a tv.

_Snow_

The word stuck in his brain, then he was empty again. His mind a ball of that white static. He looked at Derek. He realized he was in the passenger seat of the Camero.

“I can't go home tonight.”

Derek nodded, ready to give him whatever he needed.

 

The next thing Stiles remembered he was on the couch in Derek's place.

“Where did everyone go?”

“Home.” Derek was on the couch opposite him, “How's your head?”

Stiles shook himself, “I dunno, I feel.....weird....empty. Like I'm waiting to freak out. It must be coming, right? There's no way that I'm ok.” He shivered rubbing his arms, “I'm cold.”

Derek grabbed a blanket. He sat pressed to Stiles' side and wrapped it around them. Before he knew what he was doing his fingers were curling into Derek's shirt. His eyes watching curiously as his hands moved, it felt like he was outside himself.

“I might be in shock.”

“I think you're going to miss school tomorrow.”

“My dad....”

“I think this is a situation where you should ask for forgiveness.”

Stiles was already half asleep on him, words mumbled, “mmm.....mmmk.”

 

Stiles woke up to the smell of cooking. It smelled amazing. His brain was booting up. A stake in his hand, the feeling of Galen's chest giving way beneath him. Stiles laid in bed very still staring up at the ceiling. There was only so long that he would let himself freak out and this, he couldn't lose it. He had his dad, how could he tell his dad he fucking stabbed a guy in the chest? Oh shit his dad was going to find the body!

“DEREK!” There was a clanging sound in the kitchen then Derek appeared in the doorway.

“What? Are you ok?” Derek looked a little wild eyed.

“I...the body....my dad!” Relief flooded Derek's face, “Stiles, we took care of it. You were there, do you remember?”

Stiles mind was full of holes, “I don't remember a lot,” he waved a dismissive hand, “it's all really fuzzy.”

Derek was still, “I should have done it for you.”

“No.” Stiles looked down at his lap, fingers twisting together, “He wanted me to.”

Derek started moving slowly towards the bed.

“Derek, he wanted to die. It was bad enough he _wanted_ to die.” Derek wrapped an arm over his shoulders.

“There was a time, after my mom.....things were rough. Dad was drinking. I mean, he's never been an alcoholic, it was just more. We didn't talk. We were just living in the same house. There were times it was bad, but I had Scott, and I just didn't. But I can't imagine what he was feeling, how bad must it have been. He wasn't even sad, he was just tired.”

Stiles allowed himself to cuddle against Derek, he was cold, that was it.

 

 

After half an hour Stiles decided he was done. He pulled away from Derek, “I...I need to go.” Derek could feel him pulling away in other ways. He nodded as Stiles grabbed his things and left. Derek refused to get attached, he wanted to. He ached to get attached, to wake up with someone he loved, to feel that kind of loved. Stiles was so much like Paige sometimes. Enough that he would have a pang of memory. Was it possible to be damaged enough you can't recover? It had felt so good, to let go, to let himself want and need and take like the fucking alpha he was. Derek ran a hand through his hair. He couldn't do this to Stiles, what if he had been Stiles first time? He couldn't be Stiles first time, he had already taken enough firsts. Derek stood grabbing the lamp from the table and threw it against the far wall. It made a satisfying crash against the wall, shattering. It wasn't enough, the table was next, he tore each leg off, screws stripping, wood splintering. Throwing the jagged remains across the room. Derek knew what it was to take a life, especially a life that was asking you to end it. To end their pain. He would give Stiles space. Time to heal and move on.

 

Stiles was sucking in Battlefield. Scott was kicking his ass...this was just embarrassing. It wasn't even close. After the sixth round Stiles threw his controller, “Fuck! The hell is wrong with me?” He punched the floor for good measure.

“Seriously, if you break it you're buying me a new one.” Scott half ignored him as he kept playing.

“What is wrong with me? I can't sleep, I feel like a zombie. I can't focus on anything.”

“You haven't seen Derek either. I'm not totally on the pro Derek train, but you were speeding towards some cherry picking. I will give you Derek is an incredibly dubious choice. I mean, history kind of looks like you're going to go nuts and be evil or die horribly.”

“Wow...thank you Scott. I'll be sure to direct all my crazy evil at you.” Stiles started pacing, “I just can't handle being around him.” _and I keep killing Galen in my dreams_

“Ooooook.” Scott left the game on the main screen, “Hey dude, you need to talk about it.”

“Talk about what?” Stiles gritted his teeth. Scott stood and put his hands on Stiles shoulders looking at his best friend, “You killed someone.”

Stiles flinched, “He asked me to.”

“I don't think that matters.” Scott's brow creased, his hands tightening, “Stiles. Galen asked you to do something terrible. Helping him hurt something in you, but I think you did the right thing”

Stiles sank against him in misery, Scott easily taking his weight.

“I really am sorry man. None of us can possibly know how you feel. I mean, someone asking for that. How do you even deal with that?”

Stiles stiffened against him, “There is someone who knows......”

“Seriously? Who do we know that has had someone ask them to kill them?”

“Derek.”

 

It was a week of Stiles turning it over and over in his head. He wanted to see Derek, but then he didn't. They could actually have something. It had started, like a ball rolling down the hill, gaining momentum. But then....they hit a wall. Badly timed madness oozing blond guy. Of coarse, everything terrible that happened was there to stop his love life. How shallow could he be? _His name was Galen_ Stiles was going to try really hard not to spend the rest of his life in that one horrible moment. Stiles, Scott, and Isaac were having what had become a fairly regular “guy night”

“You should go see him.” Scott said as he lined up a shot.

“I don't know what you're talking about.” Stiles moved to flank the other guy.

Isaac snorted, “You two are idiots. He's sucked to be around. You know he blames himself for everything.”

Stiles snorted, “He blames himself for global warming.”

Isaac tossed a grenade killing Stiles, “Oops. Friendly fire, forgot.”

“Sure you did.”

 

 

Stiles stared at his phone. He was in the mood for chinese. Actually, he was in the mood for eating sushi off Derek's naked body, but hey, he could compromise. It was another 5 minutes of staring at his phone before he called. He knew it had to be him, he was the one breaking down, and Derek would just let him do whatever he needed. Stiles hit call.

 

His phone rang, Derek grabbed up the phone and stared at the caller ID. _Ring_. He was staring at it, hesitating to answer worried he would end up turning Stiles to ash. _Ring_. Should he just ignore it? _Ring._ Fuck.

“Stiles.”

Silence, a breath on the other end, “Have chinese with me.”

“Sure.”

“I'm picking it up and coming to your place.”

 

 

As Stiles rode up the elevator to Derek's flat he felt like he was going vibrate out of his skin. The generic plastic bag with stacked little boxes of take out rustled with his movements. He knocked and when Derek pulled the door open he just looked at Stiles waiting to see what was going to happen.

Stiles grinned at him, “I brought you food.”

“Is that a peace offering?” Derek lifted an eloquent eyebrow.

Stiles grimaced at him, “I want things to not be weird.”

Derek took the bag and walked to the kitchen. Stiles only hesitated a moment before following, “Because it feels awkward. It feels like I don't know what to say and I always have something to say. Even if it's not really on topic and meanders and please kiss me.”

Stiles was leaned back against the counter, eyes wide and mouth slightly parted, “That last bit kind of slipped out.”

Derek looked like a predator as he moved towards a frozen Stiles. His so incredibly warm hand slid up Stiles neck and cupped his cheek as he leaned in kissing everything away. Stiles felt his body relax against Derek. All it took was a touch, a kiss to assure him it was going to be ok. Stiles felt heavy, he sagged, leaning on Derek who wrapped arms around him holding him up. Stiles let himself go. He clung to Derek, fingers digging into his shirt, letting himself feel safe. Burning tear down his face as he whispered against Derek's chest, “I killed someone.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because hey, killing someone would fuck a person up royally.


	11. Hitting Walls

It was later. That's all Stiles knew. The time was later. _Oh shit, sunlight_. He tried to roll and find his phone, but a steel arm held him pressed against the warmth at his back. He was filled with warm fuzzies as he petted the arm tight across his stomach.

“Dere...I really need to text my dad that I'm alright.” There was a grumble behind him as Stiles scooted enough to reach the phone on the bedside table. He shot off a quick text before rolling back over and snuggling Derek like mad. It was only mildly uncomfortable since they were both still fully dressed, Stiles having fallen asleep due to emotional overload and Derek not having the heart to move him. Stiles nuzzled his chest in his sleepy haze, “Thanks for letting me break down on you.”

He laid his forehead against Derek's chest, “I was stupid, so stupid. I realized you're probably the only person who understands and it was worse for you.”

Derek's eyes get that haunted look they so often carry, “Things happen.”

Stiles crawled a little ways up his chest so he could hold Derek's face in his hands, “The things that happened to you.” Derek made a half panicked effort to pull away, to look somewhere else. Stiles held him, knowing full well if he really wanted to go he couldn't stop him, “Those things should never happen to anyone. That kind of horrific tragedy shouldn't exist. So I want you to actually understand that I really appreciate this. For some reason it's super important that you know I had this epiphany.” Derek closed his eyes and sighed, “Yes Stiles, I understand the loss you've had and what you decided to do.”

Stiles was nodding a little too quickly, “Ok. Good.”

Derek pulled him down wrapping Stiles against him, “Shut up and enjoy this.”

 

Stiles phone started going off. He grabbed it seeing his dad's number, “Hey dad.”

“Stiles. Do I need to be worried?”

“No, no, we're fine. There shouldn't be any more people having random hysterics and hallucinations just so you know.”

There was a meaningful pause, “Good to hear. You'll be home tonight then?”

“Yeah.”

Derek had gotten up and pulled off his shirt. Stiles was glad the conversation was over because it was hard to think with his brain turned to mush.

“Oh my god you are unreal.”

Derek quirked an eyebrow at him as he stood in shirtless glory at the end of the bed.

“I'm serious....and I'm coming over there because I have to touch you.” Stiles quickly scrambled to the end of the bed so he could reach him, and ran his hands down Derek's chest, along the hard lines of his abs. Stiles glanced up at him, breath coming quickly as he placed his palms on Derek's stomach, feeling his body and heat. Impulsively Stiles leaned forward and kissed his abs. He felt the body under his palm quiver, “Stiles...” It was whispered, wanting, unsure, regretful. Stiles closed his eyes planning to fully enjoy the taut skin in front of him, he was ready to do this. He was going to show Derek how much he wanted this for so many reasons. Chance encounters as they mourned, shared grief, they even managed to have some fun. Now he wanted more, he wanted to taste Derek, wanted to feel that comfort knowing Derek understood completely. He slid his hands to Derek's hips, those shrouded eyes watching with a mix of so many things he could and couldn't read. He whispered almost reverently against the burning skin under his lips, “Derek.” Strong hands were on his shoulders holding him back, “Stiles....I don't think you're wanting this for the right reasons.” It was like ice water.

“Wha....what?”

“You're reacting, you're not ok enough for this.”  
Stiles shoved at Derek, “The fuck does it matter why I want it?” Derek grabbed his wrists. Stiles stepped off the bed into Derek's personal space, “Maybe it's what I need, maybe I just need to feel you. It's not like you make good decisions about who you sleep with.”

Derek's eyes flashed. He growled before taking a deep breath, “I'm going to let that slide, but don't push me.” Stiles was so angry, part of him knew this wasn't rational. Derek was right, but why wouldn't he give this to him. What did it matter with who and when he had sex for the first time? Derek could see his face flashing between angry and frightened, breath coming faster and faster, his chest heaving.

“Stiles?”

Stiles shook his head and dropped back onto the bed.

“Shit, Stiles, what are you doing? You're going to pass out.”

Stiles hands trembled as he clenched and unclenched his hands in the sheet, his body rocking, eyes wide.

“Hang on.” Derek disappeared and returned with a paper bag handing it to him, “Come on.” Stiles grabbed the bag and breathed into it. Derek rubbed his back until his breathing slowed. Stiles let the bag drop to the floor and dragged his hands through his hair, “I...I'm sorry. I don't......I'm sorry.”

Derek felt for him, sitting beside him he pulled Stiles head against his shoulder and kissed his hair. “You'll be ok.”

 

Stiles went home because he had planned to eat with his dad. He was going to make a healthy dinner, grilled salmon, steamed veggies. The works. His dad came in as he was slipping the salmon filets onto plates with a helping of steamed broccoli and squash.

“Hey, that actually smells good.” His dad hung up his jacket. He ruffled Stiles hair as he passed through the kitchen, “I'll go change.”

Stiles finished setting the table as his dad came back in home sweats and T-shirt, “Are we eating at the table? You do know the game is on?”

“Do you see this? I steamed things. I put it on plates, real plates that will require washing.”

It was a nice dinner, like really nice. Stiles talked about gaming with Scott and Isaac. His dad talked about work, how he wanted to talk about Stiles' college options, “How are you son?”

Stiles paused, broccoli halfway to his mouth, “Uh, good.”

His dad was suddenly Sheriff. “Don't bullshit me. Something happened with you and that double murder.”

“Dad......”

His father had him trapped with a glare, “I've given you a lot of space on all this werewolf stuff. Mostly because I need plausible deniability, and that the more I know about some of this could make be break the law because there's no explaining this and I need to protect you boys. But Stiles, more then any of that you're my son, and if you're in trouble, if something happened, I need to know.”

Stiles swallowed. Could he tell his dad? No way, there's no way he could tell him about Galen, about what happened. Maybe he could pass off a lesser evil. Guilt hit him in the gut, so much for the father/son open information act.

“I kind of have a thing for Derek.”

This was one of the few times in his life he had seen his father actually look stunned, “Derek?”

“Yeah, I told you about him.”

“Oh you told me about him. Aside from our initial introduction he's the what...alpha?”

“Um, yeah.”

“I want to make sure I completely understand this. You, my son Stiles, is wanting to date Derek Hale. A man who has been a person of interest, is a werewolf, and if I was guessing, is older then you. Is this something I'm hearing about after the fact or before?”

“I can say this is forewarning. We're not dating, it's just looking like it could happen.”

“I've got to really admit, I'm surprised. Derek?

Stiles shifted uncomfortably, “Me too.”

 

Scott had come over. Now for the first time in years it was awkward. Stiles sat on his bed looking at his hands, while Scott was in his desk chair looking at the floor.

“Scott...what's going on?”

“Derek? Really?”

There was fidgeting and awkward silence.

“Um, yeah. Derek.”

“I just....why?” Scott stood pacing, “It's Derek, I mean, what the hell man?”

“I....I don't know.” Stiles rubbed his hands glancing at Scott, “It was an accident.”

“An accident? How do you accidentally start doing whatever you're doing with Derek? How does something like this even start?”

“I can explain how it started, kind of. We ran into each other at, of all cheerful places, the cemetery.”

“Wait, was this after Cora...?”

“Yeah, I....I just needed to see mom. So Derek was there, and wow....he's got a lot of people to visit. I watched him for a bit, like a creeper. I mean he looked so.....tired and miserable, we talked. We had dinner, it was nice. We went to a movie, it wasn't weird. There may have been pancakes at a diner.”

“So......you are or are not a thing?”

“I don't know. There's been some hot and heavy moments, but shit keeps happening. I almost went for the gold, but he stopped me, talking about how I was doing it for the wrong reason.”

“Well dude, you're not really in a good head space to make that kind of decision.”

“The fuck do I do then?”

Scott made a face like it hurt him.

“I know this might be a crazy thought, but what if you tried actually dating him?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Father/Son full disclosure agreement makes things both easier and harder.


	12. If you never start, you never know

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stiles finally gets around to having an actual relationship.

Stiles stared at his phone. He played around online for a couple hours. He stared at his phone again, pulled up Derek in his contacts. He washed a load of laundry. Stiles laid in bed playing some stupid pointless app game. He pulled up Derek's number and called.

“ _Stiles?”_

“Hey Derek.”

“ _Are you ok?”_

“I'm ok.” Because Derek is worried something happened.....Stiles could have face palmed. _He's worried I've broken._

“Come to dinner with me.”

Dead silence.

“Look Derek, I get why you shut me down, and you were right. The thing is...” It was a lot harder to have a real conversation then a flippant one, “I like you. I want to get there. I want you to believe that I will be ok when we.....do that. Go on a date with me.”

“ _I don't know if that's a good idea.”_

Stiles took a deep breath, “I'll be sitting alone at _Dolce_ at 8pm.”

Stiles hung up, then freaked out, “Oh my god, I just asked out Derek Hale. I hung up on Derek! Oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck.......the hell do I wear?”

 

At 7:45pm Stiles got a table. He slipped into the booth having decided to go with the nice but not trying too hard, t-shirt with a jacket and khakis. There's few things as awkward as eating alone in a restaurant. Now he wasn't just hoping Derek would show up so they could have a strange possibly amazing relationship but also to save him from sad lonely lasagna.

8:10pm and a giant cut of warm amazing lasagna was in front of him and Stiles face was crestfallen, disappointment written all over. A heavy sigh and he took a bite. He frowned getting even sadder, “This is really good. This sucks.”

Stiles was moping in his amazing lasagna of pain when he realized someone was sitting across from him.

Stiles grinned like the sun came out after months of darkness, “Derek. I am so incredibly happy you decided to not make me eat alone.”

Derek grunted, “Couldn't let you be pathetic.”

Of coarse he was wearing jeans a Henley and that leather jacket. Heaven forbid this be special.

“Do you own any other clothes?”

“Do I need any other clothes?” Derek grabbed Stiles fork and took a bite of his lasagna.

“Hey!” Derek smiled as he chewed, he took another fork full and held it across to Stiles.

“Is this a thing we're doing?”

“Just take the damn bite, I'm being charming.”

Stiles smirked and took the bite. He let his lips drag along the prongs slowly.

Suddenly he was imagining other things he could be sucking on. Derek was looking at him with a veil of lust, “Stiles.”

“I'm being good, but I'm not a monk. I can't control my thoughts.”

They shared Stiles' lasagna with Derek feeding him bites between taking some for himself. Derek sprung for a tiramisu. It was freaking amazing.

They ended up back at Derek's place cuddling on his couch. There was some tolerable movie neither of them knew playing. Mostly Stiles was concerned with how amazing he felt, how he was actually calm. He smiled and cuddled closer under Derek's arm, didn't hurt that he smelled good too. It was late, he should go home soon. He had about an hour before his dad started worrying. He must have made a sound because Derek was shifting so he could see Stiles face, “What's wrong?”

“This is really really nice.”

Derek snorted, “and that's bad?”

Stiles laid his legs across Derek's lap so they were facing each other, “I don't want to go.”

“You have to go. We're going to take this slow. I need to know you're ok, I've made enough mistakes with my love life.”

“I would just be happy to have one.”

Derek got a softness to his expression that was foreign to Stiles, “You do have one.”

His heart stuttered as Derek placed a sweet chaste kiss on his lips, “Oh....yeah, that works for me.” Stiles threaded his fingers behind Derek's head and pulled him in for a warmer kiss.

 

When Stiles walked into school he felt happy. In fact, he felt damn happy. Scott walking towards him with judging eyebrows was not going to kill his happy.

“Hey Scott.”

Scott got all up in his personal space, “You smell like Derek.”

Stiles patted Scott's head.

“Uh Stiles, not to be a downer, but you're level of happy is kind of freaking me out.”

Stiles shrugged, “I had a good night.”

Allison came up behind Scott and hugged him from behind, “How good a night?”

Stiles looked pointedly at Scott.

“Seriously man, you're even asking? Of coarse I told her.”

“Told her what?” Lydia walked up checking herself in a compact.

Allison glanced over as she laid her head on Scott's, “Stiles and Derek are dating.”

Lydia hummed, “Think captain abs has tasted that cherry on his sundae?”

Stiles glared at the group, “I'm right here assholes.”

“I don't know, he may have put some cream on that banana split, he is pretty chipper today.” Allison smirked and tried to hide it in Scott's hair.

“Correction, I _was_ pretty chipper.”

Lydia grinned as she snapped her compact closed, “Guess he didn't taste his dreamsicle.”

“I will kill you all in your sleep.”

 

Stiles was suiting up for practice in the locker room across from Scott.

“Hey Stiles, what did happen? Did you actually...?”

“Start dating? Yeah. We had Italian, we cuddled to a bad movie. I would give it four stars for a first date.”

“Ok, it's good you're taking it slow.”

“Why does everyone say that?”

Scott looked a little startled as he darted his eyes.

Stiles threw up his hands, “No man, fuck you. I am ok. I am dealing. I am not going to spiral into a horrible depression and write a Taylor Swift album.”

“Be fair, we have good reason to be concerned. You don't know what it was like when you were crazy.”

“I'm actually pretty happy I don't.”

They pulled on their cleats in silence. Then Stiles whispered, almost too soft for Scott to hear.

“but I dream about it sometimes.”

Scott bumped his shoulder. Stiles picked at his gloves as they sat on the locker room bench, “It really was the worst thing I could ever think of, but that's the thing. I know it wouldn't happen. Scott, you have control, and even then my dad wouldn't be there.” Stiles ran a hand through his hair, “Let's get out on the field.”

 

 

Halfway through practice Stiles took a lacrosse ball to the cup, meaning his groin. Hard enough that when he contemplated what it would heave felt like without said cup, his oranges and banana wanted to retreat. When practice finished Scott found him sprawled on a bench with an ice pack pressed to his groin.

“You know, yesterday I was feeling up on a living greek chiseled god. Today? I'm icing my junk.”

Scott grinned, “Come hang with me and Isaac? Mom has comfortable ice packs.”

“Sounds good, just understand if Derek calls....”

“That you will disappear like Allison had called me, which I hope doesn't happen because that would make us assholes to ditch Isaac like that.”

“So living there, huh? Hows that working out?”

“He super sweet, and I think my mom likes him better then me. He actually does chores before she asks, and he's appreciative and all that crap. His dad really did a number on him, but then I guess we both have dad issues.”

“Or on the other hand your dad could be sheriff and you're somehow constantly in the thick of it and constantly being paranoid that you're going to cost your dad his job _again_.”

Scott laughed over him, “Fuck, we all have daddy issues, huh.”

Stiles grimaced, “Could be worse, we could all have an Electra complex.”

Scott looked confused.

“Never mind, and don't google it.”

 

An hour later the three of them were taking up the McCall living room. Stiles and Isaac sprawled on the floor, Scott laying on the couch. Cans of various sodas and bags of snacks strewn about within arms reach.

“Damn it Isaac! Behind the building!”

“I swear to god if you miss him again Scott I will stab you. I will stab you in your sleep!”

“Rocket launcher!”

As they all died and in unison tossed their controllers, Stiles phone started ringing, _Hey little red riding hood, you sure are lookin good......you're everything that a big bad wolf could want..._

Stiles blushed furiously as Scott and Isaac rolled laughing. Through almost tears Scott stuttered, “Did......did you ….really? I can't.....that's....”

Stiles looked at the caller, of coarse it was Derek, he must have changed it.

“Shut up, both of you. I didn't do it....I didn't even realize Derek knew how to do more then basic phone crap. I am so kicking his ass.”

He answered while the others continued to laugh. Derek chuckled on the other end, “ _I see they like the ring tone_.”

“I hate you so much right now.”

“ _You should come over so I can apologize and feed you chinese.”_

Stiles smirked, “I can get with that. I'll be there in 20.”

Stiles glared at Scott and Isaac, “I also hate you both and I'm going to go eat chinese off Derek's abs.”

He was going for shocking. All it caused was another round of laughing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hurray for fluff! I amused myself with sad lasagna. BTW, cards against humanity? Best game ever.


	13. How to Teach a Stiles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Derek has a really great idea on motivating Stiles to learn something.

Stiles is fine. The only problem are those times that he's not fine. Driving towards Derek's he has a not fine moment. He'd had fun at Scott's, he was about to go have fun. Then suddenly he'll be hit with an image, a flashback. The feel of the stake breaking through, the wet sound, the gurgle of Galen's breath as he exhaled one last time. How the wood felt under his hand, the smell, the sound, the...

Stiles pulled over, his hands gripping the wheel until his knuckles were white. His breath coming in shallow gasps.

_People die. It's what happens, the world keeps going. I can move past this._

Stiles slapped himself. Hard. He was going to head this off before it even started. He was going to make it to Derek's and he was going to be ok no matter what the fuck was going on inside his head without his permission.   
  


He got his breathing slowed down. He thought about Derek holding him and he could make it to Derek's apartment because he could get himself more of that.

 

When Derek opened the door for Stiles to come in there were a couple cartons of takeout on a makeshift coffee table. He stood there shirtless wearing some loose sweatpants in all his brooding glory.

“That smells ridiculously good.”

Derek smirked and walked to the couch, Stiles closed the door behind him and followed. Derek handed Stiles a pair of chopsticks and took up his own with expert ease. Stiles make a face staring at the utensil.

“Uh, I don't actually know how to use chopsticks.”

Derek had a bite of sesame chicken halfway to his mouth, “Are you serious?”

Stiles stuck his tongue out. Derek reached up with his chopsticks and grabbed it.

“Hey! Ouch!”

“Sit” Stiles dropped onto the couch beside him as took Stiles' hand.

“Pretend you're holding a pencil.” Stiles arched his hand, Derek slipped one stick in along the bend between his thumb and pointer. “Look how that one I keep still while I move the other?”

Stiles nodded, actually interested.

“Pretend this one is the pencil, you move it to meet the lower stick and grab the food.”

Stiles gave an experimental move of his fingers bringing the sticks together. Derek held a carton for him, “Just try and pick up one of the carrot slices, they're pretty easy.”

Stiles smiled at him, “You know I'm probably going to drop this onto your couch.”  
“I guess I'll just have to take that risk.”

Stiles actually managed to get a solid grip on the teriyaki drenched veggie and make it to his mouth without incident.

“This is great and all, but can I have a fork for this? It's going to take me forever.”

Derek leaned over and kissed his nose, “Then I guess you're going to have to be patient.”

 

Dinner took forever, but by the end of it Stiles was sure he had the hang of chopsticks. Derek set the empty carton down and gave Stiles a predatory look that got his heart going. His shoulders did this fascinating ripple as he crawled on top of Stiles, pinning him to the couch before taking his sesame tasting lips. Stiles moaned and felt his hips give a slight roll as Derek's tongue pressed past his lips. As Stiles moaned his brain latched onto the thought of Derek's anything penetrating him. His hands squeezed and clung to Derek's firm arms. His breaths came out in little gasps as Derek kissed along his neck, down to the curve before biting down with blunt teeth sucking at the skin. His hips pressed into Stiles, rubbing their hardness together. His body burned between the euphoric pain of lips and teeth at his neck and the blessed friction as Derek ground them together. When he was coherent again Derek was leaning over him. He tried for a glare, but probably just looked blissed out, “I think I have a thing for biting. You're a douche for giving me a giant hicky.”

The response he didn't expect was Derek pushing off the couch and heading towards the open space of his apartment, “Come here.”

Stiles leaned up on his elbows confused, “Wait...no....that wasn't stop! We were doing good things, can we please resume?”

Derek gave him an evil smile, “Just come here.”

Stiles was suspicious, because Derek smiling was definitely suspicious. He went and stood right in front of Derek, “I'm here. Now what?”

Derek kissed him again, a more gentle press of lips, “We're dating.”

Just the words coming out of his mouth like that, so factual and sure, made Stiles cock twitch, “Yes....”, he was still suspicious.

“We get pulled into a lot of dangerous situations and you can't seem to stay out of it.”

“Yes.....” This wasn't getting less suspicious.

“Since we're going to do this, no matter how bad an idea it is, I want you to know how to protect yourself.”

Stiles quirked an eyebrow, “You're going to try and teach me self defense.”

“There is no try, there is only do.”

“Ok, first off....” He grabbed Derek's shirt and kissed him quick and hard, “That's for quoting Star Wars. Secondly, don't you think my dad already tried this? I ended up with a broken arm due to my amazing balance and grace.”

Derek smiled a wicked smile at him, “I have a plan.”

“For some reason that scares me.” Derek took Stiles by the shoulders, leaning close enough that his lips brushed the edge of his ear making him shiver, “My plan involves motivation.” An amazing tongue traced the edge of his ear, “you learn a new move, you get a reward.”

“Oooh....uh....ok...wait. No assuming...what kind of reward are we talking about? Because I do this and you just buy me some ice cream I will be seriously pissed.”

Derek gave a laugh and kissed Stiles neck above his blossoming mark, “You learn a move tonight and I'll handle this problem.” A hand snaked down cupping Stiles immensely hard erection.

“Oh you are so many kinds of evil, and yes I accept your challenge.”

 

By the time it was getting close to 10, Stiles could break Derek's wrist hold on him without having to think about it. The time, when they had both been trying in earnest Derek came away with a broken nose that quickly healed.

“I know that you heal, and it makes sense, but I don't have to like that you're the test dummy.” Stiles frowned as Derek went to clean up.

When he came out of the bathroom, blood washed from his face he scooped Stiles up and carried him to his bed. Stiles gave a manly squeak as he was dropped onto it bouncing a couple times.

“The hell Derek!” He was going to continue but then he saw the look on Derek's face, and huh...that's what pure undiluted lust looks like.

Warm hands were pushing up his shirt. He watched, fixated as Derek's mouth kissed slowly down his stomach, then continued down kissing along the hard line of his straining dick.

“Oh fuck...Derek.” he reached down running fingers through his hair. Stiles tugged gently, wanting a kiss.

Derek got the message moving up to kiss him thoroughly. Stiles wanted to melt into him, he wrapped arms behind his neck, and his legs around Derek's waist grinding up against him.

“Stiles...” his name was growled low and deep as Derek suddenly gripped his hips, holding him still as he kissed him again, harder, more desperate. Then Stiles felt fingers deftly opening his jeans, a hand slipping into them and dear god he was going to lose his mind. Derek managed wrap fingers around him stroking softly, “Let me move.” Stiles realized his arms and legs had a death grip on him, “Right, sorry.” Derek smiled and kissed him softly as he moved down Stiles body nipping and kissing along the way, working Stiles jeans and boxers down far enough to let his aching erection spring free. Stiles brain was gone the moment he watched Derek lick a line along the underside before taking his head in his mouth. It was so fucking warm and soft and baseball, Coach Flinstock, Kanima Jackson....Jackson in general..... _oh my god his tongue_. Stiles watched as he set a steady pace, taking Stiles deep each time, bringing him closer. Stiles panted like he had run a mile, he wanted to burn the image of Derek's lips wrapped around his cock into his mind forever. He couldn't stop it when his hips started jerking up to meet those lips. Derek's hand gripped his hips, holding him down. Stiles whimpered, his body wanting to jerk and writhe. His hands found Derek's hair again, running fingers through it, then onto his back, scratching, grasping, “Derek.....Derek...I'm going ….close...so fucking close.”

Derek dropped onto him again, lips tight, sucking a little harder as his tongue stroked the underside.

“Oh holy fuck!”

His hips tried uselessly to buck as he came, Derek's throat swallowing around him. Stiles body twitched as Derek sucked and licked the remaining cum from his slit.

“I'm dead....I'm dead, but it's a good dead.”

Derek hummed as he gave one last lick before crawling up the bed and pulling Stiles against him. Stiles bonelessly draped over his sex inducing chest.

“You've got about 10 minutes to recover before you have to go.”

Stiles jabbed a finger into his peck, “We could have done this first, then it would have been hours of cuddles.”

Derek kissed his head, “If we had done this first, me going down on you would have been the least that happened.”

Stiles groaned as he felt his cock give a hopeful twitch, “No fair, hey! I haven't gotten to do anything to you, you big controlling alpha.”

Derek gave him a look of mock surprise, “I do believe you're right. We'll have to fix that when you come over again and manage to do the wrist grab and add another move.”

Stiles rolled onto his back pulling Derek with him so the alpha was on top, “You're a wicked wicked man.” and kissed him with everything he had.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really love 'Stiles becomes a badass' fics. Also, the scenes in the chapter were a lot of fun to write.


	14. 7 Steps to a More Durable Stiles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Derek's sick of relationships that end in death.

The next day, Derek is contemplating. He's determined to do this right. He fucked up everything with Paige, he's why she's dead. After that moment everything he touched was cursed. How after she died is when things started happening with the packs, when things started falling apart. Then there was Kate, his god damned gold medal in bad decisions. Jennifer, she sure as hell didn't trump his entire family burning to death but hey, points for her killing nine people while he fell into bed with her hoping it would be different that time. Thinking maybe, for once it would be good and real. She was an english teacher! He wanted to break everything, he wanted it to all be ash and go. But then, there was always something keeping him here.

Derek was feeling moody. He stood staring out the window at the rain that was falling. The wind blowing so hard it fell sideways.

“Stiles.” His breath fogged the window as he sighed heavily thinking of the least expected thing in his life. With all the infatuations/love/lust in his past he had gone into willingly, thinking he knew what he wanted, what he was getting.

_Stiles._

His name was a confusing swirl inside Derek. He wanted to kill him, there were times he really honestly wanted to kill him. His inability to be still and quiet, but....he wasn't like that anymore. He remembered the Stiles he had met, and the Stiles now seemed so much older, tired, harder. He wasn't the same guy.

Derek wanted to do this right. He wanted Stiles to survive dating him. Derek had a crazy plan that managed multiple goals. Firstly, he wanted Stiles to slow down. While they had crossed a lot of lines Stiles was more then eager to get to the main event. Derek knew while he might be ready to go, Derek needed this to go slow. He was still feeling a bit raw from Jennifer. He wanted to, but there was history and feelings. Stiles wasn't just some fuck, couldn't be if Derek wanted to stay here. He did want to stay, he was dealing with everything finally. If this went south though, he couldn't, it would burn everything he had built here no matter how unsteady it was.

His other need was to not find Stiles dead or dying somewhere. He was constantly reminded how human Stiles was, how even human, Allison was so much better prepared then him. He may be smart, but sometimes smart couldn't save you. It had been nice to know that if Stiles annoyed him enough he could end it with a swipe, but now that was a problem. He wasn't willing to give Stiles the bite, even if he wanted it. What if he died? What if it was Paige all over again? The two people who he believed loved him without some other motive, both dying in his arms would end him. Derek let his forehead fall against the chilled glass. All those reasons had started him on a mad quest to try and teach Stiles to fight, to protect himself, to not be so vulnerable when things went bad.

Derek was buried deep in his own thoughts when there was a banging on the door. “Who the hell...” he muttered to himself as he crossed to open it.

Of coarse it was Stiles standing there looking like a cold wet pup. He was hunched in his hoodie, soaked through and shivering.

“Stiles.”

“Hey.” Stiles gave him a miserable smile.

Derek quirked an eyebrow at him, “Are you insane?”

Stiles grinned, “So I'm told. So can I come inside before I get hypothermia?”

Derek moves to let him in. Stiles drips his way to the kitchen.

“Just stay there, I'll grab you some clothes and a towel.”

When Derek comes back in Stiles has stripped off his shirt. It's forming a puddle at his feet while Stiles is working off his jeans. Derek stands holding clothes and a towel, watching entranced as Stiles is suddenly naked in his kitchen, skin paled and covered in goosebumps.

“Uh Derek...I could use that towel.” He was blushing and covering himself awkwardly with his hands. Derek set the clothes on the counter and approached Stiles, towel pulled open in his hands. He slowly dried Stiles chest, kissing him softly. He worked the towel across Stiles chilled skin, slowly dropping down to dry his legs, wrapping the towel around each and drying down to his feet. Derek was kneeling and finished one leg, then looked up. Stiles stood staring down at him, breath short, pupils blown wide. His muscles were twitching as his body tensed, “Derek.”

Derek smiled up at him wrapping the towel across Stiles ass, leaving his front exposed. His ministrations seemed to have put some life into Stiles as he stood half mast so close to Derek's face. He smirked to himself as he kept his hands on Stiles hips holding the towel, he was going to enjoy this. Derek gave a sucking kiss to Stiles' head. The sound it drew out of Stiles mouth was shamelessly erotic. Fingers were in Derek's hair, encouraging.

“Oh my god.”

Derek smirked as he took Stiles rapidly hardening cock in his mouth sucking him deep, his hands staying on Stiles hips, holding him and the towel. Stiles made a sound like he'd been hit in the gut as he hit the back of Derek's throat. “Fuck, that's your tongue...your freaking tongue, don't stop doing that....”

Derek growled sending vibrations through Stiles. The hand in his hair clenched, “Derek...” Stiles groaned deep as he came, toes curling. Derek sucked at the tip as Stiles swayed. Derek stood quickly gathering Stiles in his arms, he nuzzled Derek's neck, “Waaaarm.” He chuckled as he let Stiles rub against him like a happy kitten.

“It was a stupid idea for you to come in this storm.”

Stiles kissed his neck,

“You were freezing and soaked.”

There was a tongue ghosting over his neck between wet kisses.

“I'm glad you're here.”

Stiles was getting more lucid, a more steady hand ghosting down his stomach. Derek grabbed his wrist stopping him short. Stiles gave a soft whine at his neck.

“You have to earn it.”

Stiles pushed off him, “Are you kidding me?”

Derek gave him a questioning look.

“You're making me do this self defense bullshit before you let me suck you off?”

Derek grabbed Stiles twisting his arm behind his back and shoving him to the floor. Stiles hit the hardwood with a grunt, “You don't think this is important?” Derek was mad, Stiles could feel it rolling off of him. A wave of fear hitting him knowing if he wanted to hurt him, there was nothing Stiles could really do. Derek used his ridiculous strength to grab both his wrists and pin them above his head, “You're so vulnerable.” Derek's breath was hot against his neck, he dragged sharp teeth along the thumping pulse there, “No healing....” His grip on Stiles wrists tightened until Stiles whimpered beneath him, face pressed into the floor, “No strength, speed, senses.”

“Fuck you! If you're making a point of how less then you I am, gratz, point made. Now let me the fuck up, I'm leaving.”

“Or what? Are you going to make me let you up?”

Stiles stilled beneath him. They both knew the answer to that.

“This is why I am making you learn to fucking protect yourself. You can't …..I can't have anything happen to you. I couldn't...”

He quickly released Stiles bruised wrists and flipped him over pulling him close, arms wrapping around him as Derek buried his face against Stiles neck, “You can't die, I wouldn't survive it. We're doing this and I can't go through that, ever again.”

Stiles held his breath as Derek held him like porcelain after making him feel like prey, “I'm right here. I get it, I'll do this.”

Derek nodded against his shoulder placing a quick kiss. He released Stiles and stood offering a hand, “Come on then. I want you to be able to kick my ass.”

“Well, I've always been told to have goals.”

 

“You're smaller and weaker.”

“Thanks for that observation Sherlock.”

Derek rolled his eyes, “Your goal in a fight is to keep distance, if they get you down or cornered, it's over.”

Stiles nodded holding his makeshift weapon of a broom handle.

“Your goal is to make me keep my distance, you do that by going for weak points. Things that even though they will heal will hinder my movement or be distractingly painful. Aim for where I will be, not where I am.”

“How the hell do I....”

Derek was moving.

“Oh shit!” Stiles tried to not freak out and thrust the end of the makeshift staff where Derek was headed. A roar of pain told him he struck gold. When he looked up Derek was hopping on one leg, “You got my knee, were you trying or do that or do you just have a lot of dumb luck?”

Stiles rolled his eyes, “I was trying, I thrust where your knee was headed. Look, we've been doing this for three hours now. I'm bound to get something right eventually.”

Derek smiled at him letting his leg down as it healed. He turned heading toward the bedroom.

“Are we done?” Stiles stood awkwardly holding his improvised weapon.

Derek kept walking, “Come suck my cock.”

Stiles was all for that, totally down with that plan. He dropped the broom handle letting it clatter on the floor as he followed Derek in a mild daze, “Yeah, I can do that.”

Derek glanced back with a smirk as he disappeared through the doorway to the bedroom. Stiles stumbled after him rounding the corner to see Derek sprawling in the middle of the bed. The sweatpants he was wearing were riding low on his hips showing the teasing curve of what lay underneath. Stiles unconsciously licked his lips, he wanted this but it didn't stop him from feeling nervous. Derek lay on his back, propped up on his elbows watching. His eyes were heavy with want making Stiles heart jump as he crawled onto the bed straddling his knees. Derek just watched, waiting on Stiles.

“So....yeah.”

Derek smirked and took Stiles hands hooking his fingers over his waistband. Stiles nodded, “Right, pants have to go. Bad pants.”

He leaned up and laid kisses along his stupid perfect abs as his hands started working the sweatpants down, kissing at the revealed skin. He could hear Derek's breath coming out in little puffs. He lifted his hips letting Stiles make the final pull. This was it, he was actually going to finally get at Derek, see his cock, taste him. Derek sighed as he bobbed free of his pants, Stiles stared enjoying the view of him fully erect, red and swollen. A few thick veins standing out along the shaft. Derek smirked again, like he could sense Stiles anticipation, “Go on then, you wanted this?”

Stiles nodded wrapping his hand around the base, feeling the soft skin over that inner hardness, the feeling so similar to his own but so much more amazing, because......Derek.

Stiles tried to think of what Derek had done, but mostly his brain came up with a white bliss. Experimenting, he licked a line up the underside feeling the texture, the bump of pulsing vein then tracing the edge of the head sliding his tongue along the slit. Tracing it before gathering his determination and taking it in his mouth. He rubbed under the head with his tongue while he held Derek in his mouth. He'd read and knew from his own experience it was sensitive. He was rewarded with a jerk of Derek's hips shoving himself deeper into Stiles mouth. He managed to not choke, but it was a close call. Stiles gripped his base again to try and get a little control while he tried taking Derek as deep as he could. _Keep breathing_ he chanted in his head as inch by inch sank past his lips. He was rewarded by Derek's clenching fingers in his hair. Stiles appreciated the restraint Derek was showing by not just grabbing his hair and fucking his face. He bobbed his head on Derek's dick at a gradually increasing pace as he found a rhythm. Every time he went down he tried for a little more, he wanted to make Derek lose it and know he caused it. Derek's breaths came faster, his hips giving little jerks as he got closer. All the warning Stiles had was both of Derek's hands in his hair holding him still as he moaned deeply before he felt Derek pulse against his tongue before a salty heat was hitting his throat forcing him to swallow. He sucked and moaned knowing he had at least made Derek lose it a little. He had a swell of pride as he kept Derek's softening dick in his mouth, licking at the stray drops. Derek groaned, “What are you doing?” His hips jerked as Stiles gave his slit another lick.

“I think I like playing with you.”

Derek scratched his head affectionately, “I think I could guess that. Get up here.”

Stiles grinned as he crawled up into Derek's lap and kissed his nose, “You want to cuddle. I knew you were a cuddler.”

Derek grumbled something and pulled Stiles against him kissing him softly as his arms kept a tight hold, “You're ridiculous, now shut up and let me enjoy this.”

 

The fruits of Derek's labors first started showing up during lacrosse. Stiles was getting nimble as a fucking rabbit. Also, Scott had noticed how Stiles panicked less when he had the ball and there were a bunch of big guys gunning for him. Or how in the locker room when Davidson grabbed Stiles on the shoulder to get his attention Stiles grabbed his arm and flipped him onto the ground with a painful smacking sound. Everyone stood looking in stunned silence. Stiles turned beet red and muttered an apology. He awkwardly gathered up all his things as fast as he could and made a quick escape. Scott quickly pulled on his shirt and chased after Stiles. Isaac shot him a questioning look as he gave chase. Scott called over his shoulder as he dashed out, “I'll meet you at the car.”

He caught up with his twitchy best bro as Stiles was pushing through the double doors heading out, “Stiles!”

Stiles turned, his bag, stick, and random items precariously clutched to him, “Uh, hey....”

“What was that? That was some crazy kung fu shit you just did.”

“So by the way, I've been working on some stuff.”  
“Seems like it's actually paid off. When has this been happening, how did you learn this crap?”

“Funny story.....Derek decided that I was way too easy to hurt, maim, and kill. He's kind of got me on this aggressive training plan.”

“Whoa....that's a really good plan.”

Stiles rolled his eyes, “You and Derek agreeing on this isn't really fair.”

“How is this bad? Do you seriously not know how badass what you just did looked? You're all crouching spaz hidden badass.”

Stiles rolled his eyes, “Let me start with, there were so many things wrong with everything you just said I don't even know where to start, or rather if I should start with the lame crouching tiger pun or not.”

“Stiles, this is a good thing, but just remember that Derek is seriously fucked up. You should be careful about jumping into this.”

Stiles cocked his head, “Because dating the girl whose family was trying to kill you is a great decision.”

Scott held up his hands, “Just giving the advice, doesn't mean I follow it.”

“In that case I'm off to make some bad life choices and see my inadvisable boyfriend.” Stiles nodded to his bro as he continued on to his car. Scott gave him a wave and headed back into the school.  


	15. Sometimes the Wolf is Right

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes an object lesson is the way to explain why something is a good idea. 
> 
>  
> 
> Mild violence ahead.

 

 

Derek being right only sucked slightly less then having the crap beaten out of him. Stiles came to this decision a few weeks later when he made a late night gas run on his way home from an away game. His dad hadn't been able to take off for it so there he was driving back from an away game since he had chosen to use his note of perpetual guardian permission to drive himself to and from games. Mostly Stiles was avoiding having awkward conversations with Scott and Isaac about his love life. Isaac was curious, Scott, who he actually wanted to brag to about it, didn't want to know. Thus, Stiles was opting to drive alone so he could go over to Derek's with fewer questions. The actual convenience store was closed, but the pumps were on. He started filling up, then took a moment to actually look around. Ok, maybe this hadn't been such a great idea. The bad feeling was getting worse when a car pulled in front of his.

“Please be a little old lady, please be a little old lady.”, Stiles muttered trying to be casual. Three college age looking guys stepped out of the dented up 90's era truck. One threw a bottle to the other end of the parking lot, it shattered in a small spray of dark brown glass. Truck guy 2 was in a flannel jacket. He elbowed Truck guy 1 in his side, “Look at the kid out late.”

Truck guy 1 grinned at him.

_Well shit..._

“What you doing out so late? Don't you have a curfew?”

_Sure, this could be completely non-threatening banter._

“Dangerous to be alone...bad things happen. Things go missing.”

_Fuck._

Stiles quickly inventoried his options. Crowbar he kept in the backseat...if he could get in and get going he might avoid a painful beating. Stiles tried to be casual and not freak out as he stopped the gas and hung it back, a quick glance as he popped the gas cap back on told him the deliverance scene was still going on. _Think...think, don't panic...not facing impending injury and death at drunken redneck hands._

They were getting close. Stiles opened the driver door like he was getting in, Truck guy #2 moved faster then he thought he could to grab him. Stiles shoved the door into his face knocking him back. Truck guy #3 started laughing, Truck guy #1 looked pissed, “Now that was rude fuck face.”

He could call Stiles what the hell ever he wanted, Stiles was grabbing a crowbar.

Truck guy #1 had made it around the door grabbing Stiles by the back of the neck throwing him off balance. Stiles stumbled back and the guy swung an arm around catching him in the neck and slamming him into the ground. Stiles hit hard enough it knocked the air out of him, luckily he kept his head from smacking into the pavement letting his shoulders take the hit. Stiles also managed to keep his hold on the crowbar. Score for Stiles!

“Fuck yeah man! Clothesline the little bitch.”

“Hell yeah finishing move!” Stiles got his breath and took a swing at Truck guy #1's knee. There was a horrible nauseating wet cracking sound and Stiles officially heard the worst scream he'd ever heard as the guy hit the pavement. Stiles bolted into the jeep as all the Truck guys regrouped and got past their surprise. Stiles threw it into reverse and tore out of there. In his rear-view Stiles watched them scrambling for the truck, helping the one guy limp into it. Stiels hit the gas hard speeding down the road, he mentally kept a tally of all the laws he was breaking because while he may be breaking them he was a good son damn it and knew exactly what he was doing and.....bad time for a panic attack. Stiles forces his breathing to slow down even though he doesn't slow his jeep down at all. Considering there was supposed to be a speed trap seven miles ago that he went twenty over through Stiles thought it was a miracle he hadn't been stopped.

He pulls in front of Derek's place with a squeal of tires and bolts for Derek's door pounding on it. By this time it's midnight and he's now moved into a noise violation, “DEREK!”

He gets in a couple more pounds before the door swings open to a very irate hot boyfriend, “Damn it Stiles!”

Derek yanks him in by his shirt and slams the door. He shoves Stiles back against it, “What the hell is wrong with you!?”

Stiles gripped Derek's tense forearms as he held Stiles against the door, “You were right.”

This is apparently not what Derek expected to hear. He released Stiles' shirt and took a step back. Stiles pulled at his shirt tugging it back down, “I am squishy, and soft, and breakable.” Derek looked physically pained by the reminder of Stiles humanity.

Stiles gave him a hard look, “Something happened tonight, I was coming back from the game and stopped for gas.”

Derek stepped close again slipping his hands onto Stiles hips as he spoke.

Stiles shook his head a little, “The store was closed, but the pumps were on and I was brushing E. I was fine, and then these drunk asshats pulled up. I don't know if they wanted to rob me, or beat the shit out of me or....worse.” It wasn't hard to fill in what worse might be.

“It was like I could hear your voice when we train.” Stiles hand ran up Derek's arms, squeezing his shoulders. He pulled Derek against him as he fell back against the door, his face buried against the curve of his neck, “You would have been proud. I hung up the gas and went for the crowbar in the back seat. I slammed the driver door into the first guy, the second guy slammed me to the ground, but I destroyed his knee.”, Stiles sounded grimly satisfied. “The third guy so busy fucking laughing at his buddies he didn't realize I was getting away.”

“If that had happened, and we had never started this. You had never started teaching me all this self defense bullshit I wouldn't be ok.”

Derek nuzzled his hair laying a kiss on the shell of his ear.

Stiles pulled back and kissed him slowly, fueled by some deep rooted feeling he couldn't express, “I guess this is me saying thank you and you were right asshole, now don't let it go to your head.”

Derek had a string of complicated emotions, pride for Stiles taking care of himself, concern that he could have been hurt or killed, anger that anyone would dare touch his Stiles. Fuck.

Derek grabbed Stiles under his thighs and lifted him, wrapping his legs around Derek's waist as he slammed Stiles against the door. Stiles wrapped his arms around Derek devouring his mouth.

“I really should show you how much I appreciate your training.”

Derek growled deep, rumbling as he licked along Stiles' throat, “So proud of you.” Stiles couldn't stop a needy groan as he felt Derek hard against him, rutting him against the door as Stiles dug his fingers into his shoulders gripping hard, “Derek...fuck...please...now.”

Derek kept kissing him as he carried Stiles to the bed, his legs wrapped around Derek's waist. Stiles decided this wasn't a time for trying to be cool and collected, he rocked his hips against Derek just to make sure he got the message loud clear, “Come on Derek, get to taking your reward for being right.” Clothes disappeared over the side of the bed as quickly as they could get them off.  Derek was in a mood apparently, something about the mix of Stiles in danger then kicking ass had loosened something inside him. Stiles was going to savor this opportunity, see how far he could push. With a smirk Stiles pulled Derek tight and rolled on top. Derek growled up at him sitting up and took Stiles hair in hand, his mouth latching onto all that exposed pale skin. He sucked and bit until he could feel the blood welling just beneath the surface, marking what was his, daring anyone to touch him. Stiles bucked against him, arching against him letting Derek take for a moment. Derek pulled back, pupils huge. Stiles smiled, he felt amazing knowing how much Derek wanted him. That's right, Stiles is a bad mother fucker who could handle himself. He pushed Derek back against the bed, “Too slow.”

He got a questioning eyebrow in response, not sure what that meant. “That's right wolfy.”

Stiles leaned over him, hand going for the lube in the drawer as his lips brushed against Derek's, “Too.....slow.”

He dropped the lube onto Derek as he pulled off his shirt then Derek's. He looked down appreciating the art that is Derek's muscle tone, “Still too many clothes.” The rest were quickly shed and Stiles was straddling above Derek popping open the lube. Derek's hands slid up his thighs squeezing, then went to take the lube. Stiles held it out of his reach smirking, “Nope. You're going to watch.”

Derek growled, his fingers squeezing hard. Stiles laughed and started fingering himself open. He let out a low moan as he started with two fingers. Derek rolled his hips, rubbing himself against the bend of Stiles thigh. His eyes were devouring the image above him. Stiles head leaned back slightly, eyes half shut, skin and lips flushed, mouth slightly open. He was gorgeous, Derek was transfixed as he watched agile fingers disappear into him. Into Stiles, his potentially bad decision, his mate who had defended himself. The only thing he cared about right now was getting inside him and he had to wait damn it all to hell. He rolled his hips again. Stiles opened his eyes enough to look down and see Derek's hungry look.

_Oh...._ Derek _wanted_ him in an almost painful way. Fuck fingers. Stiles panted with mirrored want as his hand found Derek's cock and quickly dropped onto him. Derek roared and gripped his hips as Stiles let out a strangled cry that melted into a deep moan. Derek spoke through gritted teeth, “You need to get moving or I'm going to flip you over and pound you until you can't walk.” Stiles kept his eyes closed, head tilted back and started moving. He panted in time with the roll of his hips, a steady ceaseless motion of dragging out and in as he was lost in the euphoric feeling of it.

“ _Stiles_.” his name sounded like it was dragged from Derek's lips as his hips started moving to meet Stiles' relentless wave. The air was filled with the sound of their breaths and rasping of skin on skin as Stiles moved, his eyes opened looking down onto Derek. Stiles eyes were filled with something Derek could drown in, fall into and never come out from. It terrified him at the same time that he wanted to plunge in and never look back.

“Derek....I..” oh fuck, Stiles was going to dive into this, Stiles was willing and wanting to take whatever leap could happen here. The rush of lust and fear barreled through Derek.

It wasn't until Stiles grabbed his chin that Derek's attention was drawn back. His voice was gasping and breathless, “Derek...stay here....stay with me...” he tugged at Derek's arms and pulled him up wrapping his arms behind his neck as Derek's arms wrapped around his waist. Derek hid against Stiles neck, feeling himself get closer and closer as Stiles tight heat pulled at him.

“No damnit, you're going to stay here.” he pulled Derek into a kiss then pressed their foreheads together. Stiles could feel how close Derek was, he growled as his throbbing cock rubbed against Derek's stomach. His mouth found the bend of Derek's neck and latched on biting his mark. He knew it would fade in seconds but it was there. He felt Derek shudder beneath him, impossibly strong hands spasm at his back. Stiles rode him through his orgasm, teeth still in the skin of his neck. Boneless, Derek flopped back on the bed while Stiles stroked himself to finish, cum landing along the hard lines of Derek's chest. Stiles held himself up with his hands splayed on Derek's pecs, panting and enjoying how blissed out Derek was. Stiles leaned over enough to kiss him softly, as he drifted off to sleep he wasn't sure but he may have mumbled, _I love you_.

 

 

Derek was waking up to something hitting him. He shook enough sleep off to figure out Stiles was thrashing against his arms that were wrapped around him. Derek groggily let Stiles loose and grabbed a shoulder, “Stiles.....Stiles.”

“NO!”

Stiles punched him in the fucking face! Derek grabbed at his nose, as Stiles came to full wakefulness.

“Derek?” After a few seconds of staring at Derek with a confused drowsy expression he figured out what happened.

“Oh...I punched you!” He grabbed Derek's face, the bruise was already healing.

Derek gave him a look, “Nightmare?” Stiles grimaced then answered softly, “Yeah.” His expression said he didn't want to talk about it.

“Galen?” Derek pressed gently, he rubbed in soothing circles at Stiles' back. Stiles buried his face in the curve of Derek's neck, “and my Dad, and Scott, and you.” Derek indulged himself and nuzzled his head breathing in his spiky scent of low grade panic.

“It's going to really mess with my enjoyment of zombie everything. I dreamed you were all dead. It was night and I looked out the window, I had been upset in the dream and you were all there on the lawn looking up at me but it wasn't ok. You were all pissed I had gotten you killed and were coming for me. I'm really going to hate my brain if it's ruined zombies for me.” Stiles smirked and rolled on top straddling Derek as he laid against his chest, “I'll be ok as long as you don't die.....can we just agree on that?”

Derek made a gruff sound and kept stroking down his back.

“Does it get easier?”

Derek nodded, “Time really does heal a lot of things. It's like any wound, it heals, scabs over, but your body remembers that it's there. It'll stay, it'll eat at you for a while, but eventually a day will pass and you'll realize that you didn't think about it.”

Stiles clung to Derek taking a moment to be weak before he snorted and nipped at Derek's chest, “You could distract me to help speed this up......” Derek couldn't stop the grin as he pulled Stiles into a kiss.

 

Scott was starting to wonder about Stiles. He knew he couldn't really complain about Stiles gluing himself to Derek's hip, not after he spent so much of his time on Allison's roof. It didn't make it less annoying though. He got it though, Stiles was still really shaken and it had turned into some kind of clingy Derek couple thing. Scott pulled into the movie theatre and headed to the box office to wait for Isaac and Allison. When he rounded the corner of the building he saw them just inside the doors in line to get snacks. Allison was laughing at something and Isaac had that sheepish grin on his face. Scott couldn't decide if this was going to be great of awkward. He loved Allison, he has something going on with Isaac, but wait Allison likes Isaac too. Stiles would suggest going for possibly the only chance at a threesome he would get in his life, but Scott wasn't that guy. At times like this he wished he was though, just a bit. He put the Stiles/Derek creature out of his mind and braced for the evening.

 

Derek was reading on the couch with a Stiles firmly planted in his lap busy messing with his phone. Stiles kept laughing manically and it was pulling Derek out of his book. After the third fit of laughter Derek slipped in his book mark and smacked Stiles over the head with it. It was a hardback too.

“Ouch! The hell!?” Stiles looked offended as he rubbed at his head.

“What are you laughing at so much, it's disrupting my reading.” Stiles rolled his eyes and kissed Derek's cheek, “Sorry, it's just that Scott is at the most awkward date/hangout/trio thing ever and he texted me an update while Allison and Isaac are in the bathroom.”

Derek gave him a contemplative look, “You haven't spent much time with Scott.”

A guilty look flashed across Stiles' face, “I know.....I feel bad. I'm doing the friend abandonment thing, but...this is going to sound stupid. Don't you dare judge me. I think this is part of my coping thing, I'm getting this weird separation anxiety and please don't read into that.”

Derek nodded, “Makes sense in a strange Stiles way.”

Stiles thumped his forehead, “Glad to have my own category of strange.”

Derek sighed and pulled Stiles back against him, nuzzling and kissing at his neck, “You need to spend time with Scott. I'm not going to let you be that guy. Scott and I have enough issues.”

“Not fair, and Scott's fine.” Stiles sighed leaning into Derek's warmth enjoying the lazy kisses as he grabbed one of Derek's hands and pulled it further around him.

Derek kissed the shell of his ear, “Tomorrow.”

“Friday.” Stiles bit back a moan.

Derek slid a tongue along the edge letting his warm breath ghost over his ear, “Tomorrow.”

The moan escaped this time and Stiles writhed a little in his lap, “Thursday.”

Derek bit his earlobe growling softly, it caused a very nice reaction. Stiles moan sounding low, grinding into his lap, “Tomorrow.”

“Oh my god, fine!” Stiles twisted in his lap and pounced.  


	16. All the Things You Meant to Do

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> My little story's denouement. Just some fluff and closure.

Stiles had been warm, warm and comfy, but his pillow was moving. He smacked it in his half awake state, “Bad pillow, stop it.” he muttered.

“Stiles.” It was Derek's voice, and Derek's leg was his pillow, “I need you to wake up.”

Stiles ran the back of his hand across mouth making sure he hadn't been drooling on him.

“You can't hide here forever.”

_Fuck._ Stiles curled into Derek hiding, “Ugh, I'm not hiding. This is a tactical retreat from the world.”

“I've let you ignore it for 10 hours now, your dad needs to know.”

Stiles sat up and stretched then flopped back across Derek, “You're horrible and I really don't want to have this conversation with him.”

Derek stood up suddenly and let Stiles tumble onto the floor, “

Stiles glared at Derek indignantly from where he lay propped up on the floor, “Can't I be like the average american and just ignore things I don't like?”

Derek looked even more constipated, “Stiles, this isn't like you. You're not someone that ignores things like this. You're the Sheriff's kid, and you have a long history of abusing your knowledge of the law and police procedures.”

Stiles was standing before he was aware of it and shoved Derek, “Maybe I'm SICK of dealing with things!”

Derek grabbed his wrist, but Stiles twisted out of it while he moved low and shoved an elbow in Derek's gut. Derek grunted hard, and if he'd been human he would have dropped. Instead he grabbed the back of Stiles' shirt and tossed him flat before following him down and pinning him.

“You are going to listen to me.”

Stiles growled and struggled, “Get. Off. Me!”

“No!” Derek punctuated it by smacking Stiles' arms against the floor in emphasis.

“Are you listening now?” Stiles turned his head to the side still not wanting to hear.

“Either you listen to me now or I can kick you out and you can come back when you have your shit together.” Derek snarled in his face, leaning close, his breath warm on Stiles' cheek.

Stiles snorted blowing a puff of dust from the floor, “Like you're the model of control and stability.”

Stiles could practically hear Derek's teeth grinding, “I am going to let that slide. In fact, I am going to let this entire conversation slide, but you are going to go home, you are going to talk to your father and you are not coming back until you have done at least that.”

Derek felt Stiles go slack underneath him, “Dad and I talking hasn't been happening for a while.”

Derek released his wrists and sat up looking down at a very petulant looking pile of paleness and moles.

“Been like that for a while?”

Stiles turned his head and looked up at Derek, that haunted look that had become common layered over his face. Derek couldn't decide if it was a mask or what was really going on. Derek wondered if he looked that haunted when he thought about his family.

“Telling Dad was the easy part. It's like he's trying to figure out who I am. He looks at me like he doesn't recognize me, or he's not sure it's really me.”

Derek leaned down and kissed him softly. It was so tender and filled with shared loss and uncertainty that it made Stiles heart ache.

“Ok. I'll go, and I'll try not to freak out on you anymore.”

 

Stiles had a busy day and he hated it. First, go home and talk to his dad.

The Sheriff was at the kitchen table, glass of OJ in one hand and one of Stiles' poptarts in the other. Stiles couldn't help but grin to himself a little.

“Healthy breakfast there Dad.”

His dad chocked a moment, “Stiles! I didn't hear you come in.”

“Yeah, busy night.” Stiles tugged at his shirt, “speaking of, I kind of need to report an assault.”

His dad went from calm to cop face in no time, “What happened, son?”

Stiles ran his hands through his hair as he leaned against the counter, “I was coming back from the game late and I stopped for gas at this place in the middle of nowhere. That Stop-n-Shop a few miles out. These three guys in a black truck, they had raised it, pulled in and started giving me trouble. They were drunk as hell and dumb as rocks, trying to show how macho they were trying to pick a fight with me.”

His dad's face got angrier as he talked, he had whipped out his notepad and was taking down relevant info.

“They came for me. One guy was so drunk he just stood back and laughed. One I put on the ground, the other I think I destroyed his knee.”

What Stiles hadn't expected was his father's jaw to hit the table, “Are you sure?”

“Am I sure what?”

“Let me get this straight, you, Stiles, got in a fight with two, all be it drunk idiots and aren't in the emergency room?”

Stiles shrugged, “I got lucky, also the crowbar in my back seat helped.”

His dad stood and crossed the space between them pulling Stiles into a hug. They hadn't hugged in a while and Stiles felt something unclench in his chest.

His dad's voice was gruff, “I'm glad you're ok.” He pulled back, his hands still gripping Stiles' arms, “I know I haven't handled this supernatural thing well.”

Stiles could see him trying to work through how to say this.

“It's not that all of it's real, but it's that you seem to expect me to just go with it. That when you're gone it's not that I need to worry about you being at a party, or dragging Scott into _something_. It's that now, it could be one of those, but it could just as easily be you out somewhere being hurt. You keep telling me that you can't stop and you have to keep doing this, but damn it Stiles! I'm your father, I'm supposed to protect you, and I find out that you've been trying to protect me. This is all backwards. I'll be at work, and look at a case and now my first thought is whether it's supernatural or just a normal crime. I've been bringing those others home because all these things I thought were solved, and handled.” The Sheriff sighed and let his arms drop. Stiles looked up at him, he hated that he did this to his father.

“Dad, I'll tell you, and I'll include you in all this, but I can't stop because it's always after people I care about. I can't ignore Scott, or Lydia, or Derek, or anyone in danger when I can do something to help.”

His dad chuckled and gave him another quick hug, “You're definitely a Stilinski.”

He flipped his notepad shut and slipped it in his jacket pocket, “I may call you to come down to the station later about this assault. I'll go get the paperwork rolling and see if there were any cameras at the gas station.”

Stiles smiled at him, “Thanks dad. Also for the understanding why thing.”

“Stiles, if I didn't understand that reason, I have the wrong job.”

With that his dad headed to work and Stiles moved onto his next mission. He whipped out his phone and shot Scott a text.

_I'm coming over_

He got a surprisingly quick reply

_ur what? Why?_

Ok, he deserved that.

_Because I'm being a douche and have been ignoring you._

There was a long pause then a reply pinged.

_I'm sorry about ignoring you for Allison_

Stiles chuckled as the typed out a reply

_I think I can understand. Omw_

 

Stiles sat next to Scott as they went old school and played 2 player on Mario. Stiles felt the awkward tension so he punched Scott's arm.

“I can hear you thinking, what is it?”

Scott shrugged, “Derek sucks at taking care of himself and anything relating to him.”

“That's a bit random.”

Scott shook his head, “It's not, I was thinking about you. Derek's really good at taking care of you.”

Stiles snorted, “Is this going somewhere?”

“You suck at taking care of yourself. Maybe you two will manage to keep each other alive. Might make it easier on me.” Scott grinned over at him.

“Yeah, it's good Allison can kick ass for you.”

“Asshat.”

 

Stiles wandered into Derek's place like he lived there, and honestly he spent so much time there now he pretty much did. Derek was doing pull ups on the bar he'd mounted in the kitchen doorway. He knew Derek was aware of him, Stiles walked up admiring the view as Derek's arms gave a subtle bulge with each lift, a ripple along his abs. Best show ever.

“Scott thinks we might manage to keep each other alive.”

Derek snorted.

“I talked to my Dad, he's going to track down the asswipes and use the full extent of his power.”

The edge of Derek's mouth quirked up as he did another pull up, his pecks tensing.

“I want to train more, and you don't need to bribe me with your cock to do it.”

That got him a raised eyebrow. Stile smirked as he reached forward and ran his fingers down Derek's front, feeling the strength of the muscle underneath. Derek dropped down causing Stiles hand to end up on his chest. He was watching Stiles face suspiciously, “Are you serious?” His fingers found Stiles hand and wrapped his fingers over them. Stiles gave him a resigned nod.

Stiles stepped closer, “I see your suspicious face. I get it, but there's always something and it would be monumentally stupid of me to not prepare. Fuck Derek, I killed someone and it wasn't self defense, it wasn't to save one of you guys.” Stiles pulled back his hands and rubbed them on his pants. “Makes me antsy, and I like knowing I'm doing something useful. I....”

Derek took his chin in hand and kissed him soundly. Derek pulled back looking him over, “It feels good to do something.”

Stiles looked a little blissed out before sighing heavily, “I don't want to be the one who needs saving.”

He pulled Derek back in kissing him with his own aggressive fervor. Heart racing, pupils wide he held Derek's gaze again, “Besides, in Beacon Hills there's always something.”  


End file.
